Shattered Glass
by Eric Michael Kline
Summary: A fan-made sequel to the "Reflections" story arc of the IDW-comics. In the aftermath of the Mirror World Incident, as Celestia struggles to heal her broken heart and the denizens of the other world rebuild and search for their missing king, an old enemy has returned, with plans that could spell the doom for both worlds.
1. Chapter 1

**SHATTERED GLASS**

_(The following is a non-profit fan made literature. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and all accompanying and associated characters, ideas, concepts, and storylines are the properties of Hasbro Inc, Lauren Faust, IDW Comics, and Discovery Family. Please support the official release.)_

_(This story is intended to be a sequel to the "Reflections" story arc in the IDW comics which seemed to take place between Magical Mystery Cure and Princess Twilight part 1 but after Equestria Girls. This story takes place in roughly the same time period but considering the comics takes place outside of the primary medium there may be some continuity problems so please just be patient with me.)_

_=A hole opens on screen and Pinkie Pie pops up=_

_Pinkie: Pfft! Continuity! Who needs that! Just start the story already!_

_=Hole closes=)_

PROLOGUE

It was worse than anything he could have imagined.

The moment the old unicorn had dreaded for so long had finally occured. As far as he could see, the entire sky was filled with swirling sickly green clouds as entire squads of Pegasi led by the famed Wonderbolts struggled to regain control of the weather. Beneath the hill he stood on, in the town of Ponyville, its citizens huddled together in fear, unnable to comprehend what was happening. He knew that this scene was playing out all over Equestria, and the company he found himself saddled with did nothing to alleviate any of his feelings of dread or doubt.

"Beautiful isn't it?" the Draconequus soghed as he wiped a tear from his eyes.

"That's hardly the word I'd use."

"I still can't believe that SHE of all ponies caused all this," Discord tittered. " I couldn't have done a better job myself. I'm so glad I was released in time for this. It almost makes giving up all my plans worth it." The old unicorn glared at the semi-reformed Spirit of Chaos and wondered if his vow of non-interfereance was worth letting Celestia release this pest back into the world. "Oh now don't be like that. You still have your original plan don't you? If you don't like what's happening then do something about it." The old Unicorn lowered his head and sighed. It's true. He did still have THAT option. But he had made a promise to her never to use it.

"What's done is done," he sighed. "Illogical as it may be, as much as my common sense tells me I should, I can't. This has to play out to its conclusion. All I can do is watch and trust in those involved."

"As you wish," Discord shrugged as he snapped his fingers and a bag of popcorn materialized in his lion paw. "It makes no real difference to me. I'm just here for the show."

Suddenly, the sky began to crack and break as the barrier between worlds came crashing down and the realm of Equestria and the world on the other side of the mirror began to merge into one. It started at Canterlot Castle and quickly began to spread, growing faster and more unstable as it consumed the kingdom he had dedicated his entire existence to.

"Here it comes, Here it comes!" Discord cheered as he bounced around the old unicorn. "Oooooh this is going to be so good." The rift was now almost upon them as a crack raced through the sky towards the hill and stopped. With apprehension and hope, the old Unicorn watched as a blinding flash of light burst from the castle and across the rift. And when it faded, the rift was repaired and all was as it should be. In the village down below, residents emerged cautiously from their houses and looked around them in a mixture of relief and confusion. No trace of what had happened remained, almost as if it had never occurred at all.

"Aw, that's it?" Discord whined. But his companion didn't answer as his attention was rigidly fixed on Canterlot Castle. Although she had told him how it would all end, he had to make sure for his own peace of mind. His horn glowing with a prismatic light, he cast a scrying spell in the direction of Canterlot Castle and to his joy and relief, sensed that everyone had made it back safely. _Well done_, he thought. _Especially you young princess_.

"Well so much for that," Discord shrugged. "Was fun while it lasted. But the show's over so I guess it's time to go home. We should really do this again sometime." And with that, the Draconequus vanished in a flash of light.

"You're wrong Discord," the old Unicorn stated as he descended the hill. "This is not the end. This was merely the opening act. You, Celestia, those six brave young mares, and those poor souls in the other world...none of you have any idea what's coming."


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 1

WHERE THERE'S LIGHT, THERE'S DARKNESS

=Equestria Prime=

3 AM in Canterlot was always quiet. In all the streets, the only ponies to be seen were the watch and the occasional street sweeper. Even in Canterlot Castle, home to the Royal Pony Sisters and the very heart of Equestria, only guards and the nocturnal denizens of the royal gardens were out and about at this hour. That was why he chose this particular time to make his move.

Moving from one shadow to the other, never venturing into the open for more than a moment at a time, a dark form made its way across the Castle's outer grounds towards the main gate. He moved without sound or presence, simply bending his form around any obstacles in his way be it a rock, bush, or even a tuft of grass. Upon reaching the moat, he slipped under the drawbridge, clinging to its underside as he slunk his way across and into the shadows of the courtyard. While his diminished form was greatly lacking in the magnificent power he once wielded, it was most useful in situations where stealth was required. And with his strength greatly reduced, it would enable him to do something even Celestia herself was unable to do.

It had been six weeks since the disturbance. Six long weeks since the shattering of the sky had called to him from his exile in the Frozen North. What had caused such a thing? And why had he sensed a power not to dissimilar from his own within it? He left in search of answers and while no physical clue remained after the rift had healed; Celestia's little apprentice and her five friends had been most generous with their information. In the first few weeks it was all they could talk about with each other. Spying on them however was not without its risks. He had almost been discovered twice. First by that runt of a dragon. Then again by those three brats while stalking the farmmare. Luckily his biggest concern, Celestia's apprentice, remained oblivious to his presence; completely overwhelmed by what had occurred and her upcoming role in Equestria's much vaulted Summer Sun Celebration. Thanks to their gossiping with each other, he now had everything he needed to obtain his goal.

And he had to do so tonight. In the midst of preparing for the festival, the castle was in a state of complete disarray. He would never get another opportunity like this again and he had to move fast. Though the castle grounds were brightly lit, making covert movement difficult, there were still shadows to provide him with enough hiding places to avoid the guards. Wherever there was light, darkness of some form was inevitable. It was the great truth of the universe which Celestia, in her arrogance, had either forgotten or ignored. But she would learn soon enough. Oh yes, she most definitely would.

At last, after what seemed like an eternity of moving at a pace that tried even his patience, he arrived at the castle keep. Before he could climb it though, there was one last obstacle to be cleared. Peering around the keep's edge, he focussed on a tower at the far edge of the castle. At that tower's top was a balcony upon which stood Luna, Princess of the Night and younger sister of Celestia. As he had hoped, Luna was monitoring the edges of Equestria through a telescope, so intent on watching for oncoming threats in the distance that she failed to notice the real danger moving right under her snout. Nor would she until it was too late.

Now that he knew the way was clear, he retreated to the dark side of the keep and began to ascend its wall until he finally reached the top. Peering in through a window; he saw a sumptuous bedroom with lush purple carpets, silken tapestries adorning the walls, mahogany furniture, and a porcelain pond in the floor's center. And on the pond's far side was a great rounded bed upon which lay Celestia, Princess of the Sun and sovereign of Equestria, who seemed to be having anything but pleasant dreams at the moment. She shifted and whimpered on the mattress, occasionally letting a whispered sob break free of her lips. Beside her bed was placed a bird stand upon which perched a sleeping phoenix and the shadow cursed to himself. He hadn't anticipated this. He'd have to find someway to lure it away before he could make his move. He considered his options and decided that a glamor was the only choice. It was a dangerous risk for sure. He knew that if Celestia sensed his magic and awakened that he would be no match for her in his current state. But the prize he sought was more than worth it. With a hissing breath, a purple trail of smoke blew out of his mouth and seeped through an opening in the window as it glided across the room and attached itself to the bird's closed eyes, waking it instantly. The enchantment he had placed upon it was one that made its victim see the one thing it desired most in the world. And whatever that was for a phoenix, it quickly spread its wings and flew out the balcony door into the distance, leaving him alone with its master. Flowing like oily water through the same gap in the window that he had sent his spell through, he took a quick look around and finally saw what he had come for. Before that however, there was something about Celestia that had caught his interest and he moved forward for a closer look.

Indeed, few could say that they were able to get this close to Celestia, the beautiful and elegant ruler of Equestria, in such a vulnerable state. But it wasn't her appearance that had drawn him in, but the aura of her magic. No longer was it bright, blazing, and glorious like the sun. Instead it was cracked and dim. No wonder she was unable to sense him even when he was this close. Quite frankly he was impressed that she could even still use her magic in such a state. And lying just beneath the surface, something had begun to take shape. It was small, still developing, but very potent. A mixture of shame, guilt, regret, self-resentment, a small measure of envy, and overwhelming despair_. _And not just any despair, but that born of losing something infinitely precious. Something that even if she could recover it, she wouldn't dare for the consequences it would bring to so many. Celestia was in pain, and knowing that brought him great joy.

"You think you are suffering now?" he whispered as he lowered his face to within a hairs breadth of hers. "You have no idea." From his lips, another enchantment came forth and was quickly inhaled by the sleeping princess, making her whimper in dismay. "Enjoy your gift," he added as he went for his real target. "I'm sure your subjects will." In a nearby corner stood a small tree from whose branches dangled two objects. The first item, a paper tag with the word "Always" written on it, had little value to him. Just a piece of sentimental rubbish. But the other item, a piece of reflective shattered glass...THAT held great importance. To think that such an item existed. A portal to another world where the power he sought was waiting to be claimed. And one that only he could pass through. Extending a shadowy tendril from his body, he grasped the shard and tilted it to meet his gaze.

"Open," he commanded. Almost instantly, the mirror's surface ignited with an otherworldly light and he plunged laughing through the door into the world on the other side.

_"Sombra! Sombra where are you!"_

_The darkness around Celestia was so thick that she almost choked on it. And no matter how hard or fast she ran, it went on without end. But she shad to keep going. He was here somewhere. She could feel it. She couldn't lose him again._

_"Sombra please don't go!" she begged. "It doesn't have to be like this. I can save you. Sombra please answer me!"_

_Suddenly, there was a light in the darkness. And in that light stood a stallion, tall and grey coated, with rich blue-black hair and a purple cloak draped over his muscular frame._

_"Sombra?" she asked. He turned to face her and to her amazement, the corruption was gone. No longer was his handsome face tarnished by the dark magic he had taken onto himself to save her, the foolish princess who had betrayed her closest friend and endangered both their worlds just to be near him. "Sombra...is it really you?"_

_He opened his eyes and Celestia's breath froze in her throat. Instead of the warm emerald-green she had fallen in love with so long ago they were now a cold crimson that radiated with dark magic. His lips parted, bearing a fanged grin as his horn curved and flattened from a spiral into a crimson blade._

_"Sombra! Sombra please no!" But her beloved only laughed as his body exploded into a cloud of shadow that loomed over her as it plunged downward, its gaping mouth closing around her..._

"NOOOOOOOO!"

Hurling herself upright, Celestia's breath heaved in terror as her body shook in a cold sweat despite the warmth of Spring's end. _A dream_, she told herself. _That's all it was._ But it was more than that. It was a reminder of what she had done, of all she had endangered, and how her selfishness had hurt so many she claimed to care about. Luna, Star Swirl, Twilight, and worst of all him. _Sombra why?_ she asked as the tears once again stung her eyes and threatened to spill over. _Why did you do that? I was the one who caused the paradox. Why did you have to be punished for my mistake? _Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings alerted her to the approach of Luna landing on the bedroom balcony. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Celestia swallowed the lump in her throat and wiped her eyes with her hoof just before her younger sister rushed into the royal bedchambers.

"Sister!" Luna cried out as she ran to her side. "Sister what's wrong?" On her back rode the possum Luna had recently adopted as a pet which leaped down to the floor so she could sit next to her sister. Behind her, Philomena flew in as well and alighted on the perch next to the bed.

"It's alright Luna," Celestia said. "I just had a bad dream that's all."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Don't worry it was most likely something I ate." Meanwhile, Luna's possum began snuffling around the floor. The scent of whatever had caught his attention took him away from the bed and across the room to the tree in the corner where he began to bristle and growl.

"Tiberius stop that!" Luna scolded. "Are you sure that you're alright Sister?" Celestia looked away, knowing that if she looked at Luna in her current state then her resolve would crack and everything would come spilling out.

"I told you it's nothing."

"Celestia..."

"Luna please! I'm tired and I just want to go back to sleep!" The younger Alicorn jolted back in alarm. "I'm sorry Luna. I didn't mean to snap. It's late and I'm very tired." Luna nodded in acceptance and rose to her hooves.

"It's alright. I'll let you get back to bed." Levitating her possum off the floor, Luna returned to balcony so she could resume her observation duties. "Tibbles, don't be naughty!" As Luna flew off the balcony and vanished off into the night, Celestia lowered herself back onto her bed but already knew that sleep wouldn't bring any real rest for her.

_I have to be strong_, she told herself. _ My subjects need me to be strong. I have to accept there's nothing I can do. The doorway is gone and so is the Sombra I knew. I don't even deserve to grieve after all I caused to happen. _But none of that changed how she felt as though one single misplaced step or word cause everything to come crashing down around her.

As Celestia closed her eyes, the final vision of her lost love continued to haunt her, a noble king turned into a being of darkness, and a single tear slipped past her control. _Sombra. I didn't even get a chance to tell you goodbye._

Far from the light and warmth of Canterlot, in the Crystal Mountains to the North that divided Equestria Proper from the Frozen North, snow and ice dominated all but one valley. Here, seasons changed on the minute rather than the time of year; randomly shifting from one to the other, sometimes coexisting all at once, or mixing together to create snow in searing summer heat. And in the center of this valley stood a house that had no shape, or at least not one anypony could agree upon. Seen from one side it looked like a cube, from another side a sphere, and if viewed from above it resembled a pyramid. If that wasn't strange enough; the front door was in the back, the back door was on the roof, and the delivery door was on the ground in the yard. But it was the interior that really boggled the visitor's mind, or at least it would if anyone came to visit. For inside this house, the fact that the cellar was on the top floor was the least of the oddities. Twisted hallways, upside down stairs, moving furniture, shifting rooms, and of course indoor weather created a housemare's worst nightmare but to a Draconequuss was home sweet home.

And so it was that Discord lounged about the rolling checkerboard hills that was his living room, reclining on a couch that spun around in midair, sipping a hot cup of tea, and being bored out of his mind. As part of his release from being a lawn ornament, Celestia had granted Discord residence on the very edge of Equestria. Here, in this valley, he was free to make as much chaos as he wanted provided he kept it from spilling out into the rest of the world. Though he begrudgingly accepted her terms, he soon fond that the exact wording of the deal was a lot less confining than it actually appeared. A stretch of the fabric of space here, a pocket dimension there, and the interior of his house was now nearly as large as Ponyville; with all the twists, turns, gravitational fluxes, and pie storms a Draconequus could want. It was a fun distraction at first. But after settling in and getting everything out of its proper place, he soon began to feel that he had simply traded one prison for another. The worst part was that he knew that if _really _wanted to he could run wild and start spreading glorious chaos once again. But of course that would make Fluttershy miserable and that was one thing he did not want to do. Who could have guessed that the great Discord would be reigned in by one little Pegasus who still slept with a nightlight?

With a dejected sigh, Discord clicked his fingers and the mail materialized into his lion paw. Bill. Bill. Bill. If your name is Discord you may have won a million bits. Bill. Bill. A letter from Fluttershy? _Well speak of Grogar, _he thought as he opened the envelope.

_Dear Discord;_

_I hope I'm not disturbing you. But the Summer Sun Celebration is coming up soon and I was wondering if it would be all right if I invited you to join me and the others in attending it. Of course if you don't want to that's okay too. I really hope you do though (if you don't mind me saying so)._

_Your Friend;_

_Fluttershy _

_Summer Sun Celebration eh? _Well it wasn't something he especially had any interest in. But then how could he turn down an invitation from such an adorable pegasus. Especially since he was bound to get some amusement out of how annoyed her friends would get once he showed up. Still, that was at least a few weeks away. And in the meantime, nothing else fun was going on. No monsters, no disasters, no villains, not even anything like that rift business a while back. Just boring everyday life. _Why can't something like that happen more often? _he wondered, just before his entire body began to tingle and shake.

"Ooooohoooo! Well, ask and you shall receive." As the spirit of Chaos, Discord had a knack for sensing disruptions in the natural rhythm of Equestria's magic, which he affectionately refered to as his "Something Interesting Is Happening Sense." That in itself was the main reason Celestia had set him free, intending to use him as an early warning detection system. In this case, it almost felt as if the flow of magic had been twisted into a whirlpool, followed by something passing through that vortex and vanishing from the world entirely. He had felt two similar incidents before. The first was when Twilight chased Celestia's old pupil into that other world full of those weird bipeds. The second was that incident a few weeks back involving Celestia's ex-coltfriend and the dimensional rift. But this time was different. Unlike Twilight and her friends, whatever had just passed out of their world felt dark. Not exactly powerful, but very dark and very nasty indeed. Teleporting to his front porch (which was mounted on the chimney) Discord looked to the south and confirmed his suspicion. Just like the last time, the disturbance had come straight from Canterlot.

"You sly old horse," Discord chuckled. "Have you arranged another show for me? I almost feel bad for not getting you anything!" But just who or what was it that his old friend had allowed to pass through? And what exactly was going to happen as a result. Finishing his tea, Discord scrunched up the porcelain cup and tossed it into a nearby recycling bin "Oh well. Guess there's only one way to find out. And this time, I'm getting a front row seat!"

(_The design for Celestia's bedroom was inspired by Nimaru's art piece "Princess's Bedroom" which can be viewed on DeviantArt._)


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 2

THE SEARCH

=Mirror Equestria=

"Dear! Dear wake up!"

Awakening with a grunt, Farmer Orange winced as he rolled over. With the war over, he and his family had finally been able to return to their orchard in Appleloosa. But even though the land was fertile once again, the property itself was still wrecked. And while Discord had issued a proclomation that he'd get around to fixing everyone's house eventually, Orange was not the kind of Earth Pony to just sit around and wait while there was work to be done. He fully intended to have the homestead up and running before Discord got to Appleoosa, no matter how sore he got in the process.

"Ungh! What is it?"

"I heard something," his wife whispered. "I think it's down in the fruit cellar!"

"It's just yer imagination," he mumbled. He had almost gotten back to sleep when the sound of breaking glass snapped him back to reality

"What in tarnation?"

"See?"

"Wait 'ere," he told her. Grabbing a lantern in his mouth, Orange crept downstairs and out the door as glass after glass continued to break. From around the shelter of the back porch, he saw the door to the fruit cellar standing wide open while on the ground, the lock the he had used to secure it lay snapped in two. Though he knew the smart thing was to go get help, Orange didn't dare leave his wife and daughter alone with whatever was strong enough to do that. Besides, they had been chased off their homestead once before. He'd start growing apples before that happened again.

Steeling his nerves, Orange crept around the side of the house and down into the cellar. In addition to the breaking glass he could also hear slurping and smacking. Whoever was down there was eating the first batch of orange preserves, the very thing he and his family depended on for their livelihood. As he reached the bottom stair, he saw that the floor was covered in pieces of broken glass and bits of orange preserve. And over by the furnace, a dark figure was busy stuffing its face with another jar.

"Hey!" he yelled. "What do ya think yer doin' down..."but before he could finish, the intruder turned and lunged, knocking Orange back against the spare wood pile and sending the lantern flying from his grasp. Then it was looming over him, its eyes shining red with hate and radiating with a purple light as it opened its mouth to snarl though clenched fangs.

"No please!" he begged. "You can have it all! Just don't hurt me and my family!" The creature stepped into the moonlight and when he saw its face, Orange's eyes widened in shock. "Who...wha?" Now it was just inches from him, it's mouth opening as if threatening to swallow him whole. Orange closed his eyes and helplessly waited for the inevitable when the cellar suddenly went silent. Cautiously, he opened his eyes and saw that he was alone. From upstairs, the sound of galloping hooves alerted him to his wife racing down the stairs toward him.

"Dear!" she yelled as she kneeled beside him. "What happened? What was it?" But Orange was still too shocked to answer.

The creature, whatever it was, had looked just like King Sombra.

In the blue stone halls of Canterlot Castle, the provisional council had gathered in its chamber for their biweekly meeting. Arranged around a horsehoe shaped table, three of Equestria's most powerful guardians, along with what had been two of its greatest enemies, had come together under the pretense of ruling and rebuilding the kingdom. At the table's head sat Princess Trixie, former apprentice to King Sombra and acting head of state. To her right sat Discord, defender of the realm and hero of Equestria. On the seat next to him was Chrysalis, the beautiful and gentle queen of the changelings, a race of insectoid creatures whom Sombra had permitted to settle in Equestria. To Trixie's left, along the tables's second wing, sat the reformed Princesses Luna and Celestia. Granting them a seat on the council had not been met with widespread approval among the citizenry, considering all the suffering Celestia had brought upon the kingdom and Luna's betrayal of the king. However, Trixie had argued that in rebuilding, Equestria would need all the help it could get regardless of where it came from and assuaged the public's fears by placing them under house arrest. Last but not least, at a podium placed between the table's two wings, stood Prime Minister Derpy Hooves. As one of King Sombra's closest councilors, Derpy was greatly respected for her wisdom. Though she too had been offered a seat, Derpy had pointed out that having an even number of members created the potential for beauracratic deadlock in the event of a tie vote, accepting an advisory and secretarial position instead. At the moment, Discord was giving his report regarding his work repairing the houses that had been wrecked in the fighting.

"Now that Cleveland Bay is up and running," Discord explained. "I'll be heading down to Brandenburg next and then Appleloosa. From what I've heard though I won't need to do much. The Earth Ponies of Appleloosa have a long standing friendship with the Buffalo Tribes which has helped them both recover quicker than some others."

"Very good Discord," Trixie said. "Celestia, you have an update regarding Equestria's infrastructure?"

"I do," her former enemy admitted. "As I'm sure you're aware, very few train tracks survived the war in working order. The Diamond Dogs have been working nonstop to repair them, and in the meantime have allowed us to use their tunnels to transport food and other supplies to some of the more isolated areas, but they can only spare so many guides to help us through. On a more positive note, the repairs to Manehatten Bridge were completed yesterday so that should take some of the preassure off of the ferry traffic in and out of the city."

"You've done excellent work," Trixie admitted. "And we are appreciative of that."

"I could do more however if my sister and I were permitted to handle our assignments in person," Celestia pointed out. "Or at the very least be allowed to do so without supervision."

"You know we can't do that," Derpy reminded her. "The ponies aren't ready to accept you and your sister after everything that's occured. I'm afraid for the foreseeable future this is how things will have to be."

"Well not necessarily," Discord commented as he teleported to Celestia's side. "Celestia may not be able to leave the castle, but Mare Do Well can!" As he spoke, a dark purple costume materialized into Discord's lion paw. "Picture it. Myysterious Mare Do Well, loyal sidekick to Captain Goodguy. Together, we shall reign a costumed crusade against all villainy! What do you say?" In response, Celestia fired a ray of light from her horn that reduced the costume to ash.

"I'd rather not." With a sulk, Discord teleported back to his seat.

"You know, a little fun would do wonders for that mood of yours."

"If you two are finished," Trixie interrupted, "we still have the issue regarding the captured fugitives." Adjusting her glasses, Chrysalis read off from her report.

"As of the current date, 18 fomer associates of Celestia and Luna have been tracked down and captured, most recently Clutterstep the Merciless."

"The one Earth Pony with the scar right?" Trixie asked. "I'm sure a lot of ponies will be glad to hear that."

"He wasn't one of my fiercest and most cunning warriors for nothing you know," Celestia reminded them as Chrysalis continued.

"We also have a lead on the whereabouts of the Mane 6-"

"-Seven," Discord corrected.

"-Seven Gang along with their benefactor Mad Granny Smith, head of the Apple Family Mob. Three of the Wonderbolts have also been captured although their most recent member, Flash Sentry, is still unaccounted for. There was also apparently a bit of an incident yesterday in court."

"What kind of incident?" Trixie asked.

"Excuse me," Derpy said, "but I know exactly what went wrong. It was during the trial of Zecora, Celestia's former potion master. She made an obscene rhyme that caused such an uproar that Judges Flim and Flam had no choice but to adjourn for the day. I won't repeat it. Let's just say it involved babies and a stew pot."

"Unggggghhh!" Chrysalis shivered.

"I see," Trixie grimmaced. "Well congratulations on rounding them up. It seems as if we've found almost everyone."

"Not all of them," Luna said. Immediately, a cloud fell over the entire council. It seemed that no matter what the agenda, this one issue dominated every meeting. Though she could already guess the answer, Trixie finally broke the silence.

"Does anyone have any new leads on the whereabouts of King Sombra?"

"I'm sorry but no," Chrysalis admitted. "I've had my changelings searching day and night but all they've been able to find were his cape and armor which he discarded on the edge of the Everfree Forest."

"And until he uses any of the dark magic he absorbed from the princesses," Discord added, "there's no way I can track him either. I thought I felt something in the Castle Gardens late last night, but it was gone by the time I got there."

"Is it possible that he could have fled Equestria?" Trixie asked

"I doubt it. With the kind of power he has, I'd feel him the moment he crossed the border. To be safe though I've taken the liberty of calling in outside help."

"Outside help?" Celestia asked with a raised eyebrow. "Please tell me you aren't talking about..."

"Not to worry," Discord assured her. "I explained the situation to him and he promised to be discreet about it."

"Wonderful," Celestia groaned. "Knowing him that probably means he'll be kicking down every door in the land rather than shouting it from the mountain tops."

"In any case," Discord continued, "he offered to send his Gargoyle Brigade to scout through his land and all the other areas bordering Equestria. If Sombra's out there, they'll pick up his trail sooner or later."

"Princess Trixie," Derpy said, "forgive me for interrupting but I'm afraid we can't keep everyone in the dark for much longer. Rumors are beginning to spread. None of them are close to the truth fortunately, and my agents are doing their best to circumvent them, but if we don't find his majesty soon we may have no choice but to admit the truth." Trixie pursed her lips in thought. It had been her idea to decieve the citizenry about the fate of their mising king, rather than the tragedy of what had really happened.

"We may have to consider the possibility that Sombra doesn't want to be found," Celestia added. "Or even that he's been entirely...

"No!" Luna suddenly shouted. "I refuse to believe that! Even with all the dark magic he absorbed from us, King Sombra's heart is far too pure and noble to let it take him. He wants to be found! He wants us to rescue him! He..." as she realized that all eyes in the room had been locked onto her, Luna hung her shoulders in embarrasment. "Forgive me for my outburst. That was unbecoming of a member of this council."

"It's alright Luna," Trixie assured her. "I think we've covered everything we need to. If no one has any further business then we'll reconvene in three days time. Meeting adjourned." As the council rose and departed en mass, Trixie remained behind in order to gather her thoughts.

"Is everything alright Trixie," Derpy asked. Like herself, Derpy had also been born a commoner. But through dedication and hardwork, along with a little support from King Sombra, they had both risen to two of the highest posts in the land. That was why she and Trixie had become fast friends, remaining so even after Trixie became a princess.

"Not really," she admitted. "Derpy am I doing the right thing?"

"I realize lying to your subjects is far from ideal. But we all agreed that it was better than risking a possible panic."

"I mean everything. When you all came to me and asked me to serve as council head, I agreed because I thought as King Sombra's apprentice that it was my duty to do so. Ever since he took me under his wing, I've always struggled to live up to his example. Even now, every choice I make is based on me asking myself 'What would he do?'. And I've been able to carry things on so far but I don't know if I can do so for much longer." Removing her glasses, Derpy walked up to her friend and laid a comforting hoof on her shoulder

"Well then," she told her, "maybe you should stop relying on what Sombra would do and think more about what you would do." Trixie looked up at the wise pegasus and smiled as she felt her doubts disappear.

"You're right Derpy. Thank you." Derpy nodded and departed as Trixie leaned back in her seat. It was the same advice Sombra had given her as a filly...

_...With water dripping off of her, Trixie hung her head in shame. The dancing water spell was supposed to create living puppets from the pond in front of her, but all she had managed to accomplish was getting her and her teacher completely soaked._

_"Well," King Sombra's gentle voice laughed as his wrung out his cape, "I guess I've had my bath for the day. Why don't we dry off and break for a snack."_

_"Okay," she sighed. "King Sombra? Am I bad student?"_

_"Whatever are you talking about? Of course you're not."_

_"But the only spells I get right are simple sideshow tricks. Maybe I'm not cut out to be a great wizard."_

_"Don't say that," he assured her. "You have immense talent in you. Much more than I have."_

_"But you're the king!" she cried. "You've contained a raging dragon, fought the goblins, and even repelled Celestia. There's no way I could do anything like that." Laying a hoof on her shoulder, King Sombra smiled warmly at her._

_"My magic may be strong," he told her. "But my overall skills are poor. Aside from basic spells, the only real power I have are my barriers." Alighting his horn with a golden light, Sombra created multiple energy spheres around them which he sent floating into a nearby fountain. "Take your fireworks trick for example. It may seem like a mere party spell but it's something I'll never be able to do. But maybe I don't have to." As Trixie watched, the tiny force bubbles rose dripping out of the bath and burst overhead, scattering the water coating their surface into a vapor that broke the daylight into a rainbow. "You see it's not about being unable to do what others can. It's about doing the things that only you can. All it takes is an open mind and a little imagination." Eyes wide with wonder, Trixie looked up at her mentor as the rainbow seemed to bend around him like a halo._

_King Sombra, she thought, you're so cool..._

..."You never gave up on me," she said aloud. "And I won't give up on you either."

Now that the meeting was over, Discord teleported himself to the royal gardens. Though he had gone over the area with a fine toothed comb, he couldn't find any real evidence that King Sombra had been there. But if he hadn't then what had triggered Discord's senses last night? _Just forget it, _he told himself. _If that really was Sombra then all that dark power would have left a residual imprint still lying around._

Leaning back to lie down on the air, Discord looked up at the statue of him in his Captain Goodguy costume. It had started as a joke. Just a little something to get a rise out of Celestia during their battles. In time however, it had become a symbol among the Equestrians for defiance against fear and tyranny. _Back then I never thought I'd amount to something like that,_ he thought. W_e've come a long way haven't we Sombra?..._

_...Floating about the grotto, Discord clicked his fingers and the trees around him began to dance like ballerinas. He clicked a second time and fish began to swim through the air. He clicked a third time, and a living pie materialized into existence that promptly began to eat itself. Discord sighed as he clicked his fingers a fourth time and everything was back to how it was. What was the point? It didn't even amuse him anymore. And the fact that he now had to deal with uninvited company didn't improve his mood much._

_"I know you're there," he called. "What do you want?" From behind a tree, a tall grey unicorn wearing a purple cloak accompanied by two guard ponies in slate armor stepped into view._

_"So you're the one called Discord?" the leader asked. "To be honest the tales I've heard of you were so incredible that I considered you a myth."_

_"Well as you can see, I'm not. Now who are you anyway?"_

_"Ah yes. Forgive my rudeness. I am Sombra, King of Equestria."_

_"Kings are a dime a dozen in this world," Discord remarked. "You're going to have to do a lot better than that if you want to impress me." Lowering their spears, Sombra's two guards advanced toward him. But Discord snapped his fingers and their spears turned into ropes that came to life and bound them head to hoof . "You really should teach your subordinates better manners. Especially when they're outmatched." And now out would come the righteous indignation common to every royal. But instead, Sombra simply bowed in apology._

_"You are right. Please forgive them for their overzealousness." Unbelieving what he had just seen, Discord snapped his fingers and the guards were released as a tea table appeared in the grotto's center._

_"Well, I suppose it would be equally rude to be the ungracious host. Why don't we start over and discuss matters like civilized beings?"_

_"I would like that very much." As they both took their seats, Discord summoned minature storm clouds that rained tea into their cups._

_"Sugar?"_

_"Please." In the middle of the table, the sugar bowl sprouted legs and galloped to Sombra's cup where its lid opened and three cubes leapt out and into the tea._

_"So what does the King of Equestria want with me?"_

_"To be honest, I came here hoping to obtain your allegiance."_

_"Ah yes," Discord said. "I do seem to be the popular one these days."_

_"Then Celestia has already tried to recruit you to her side?"_

_"Tried and failed. Her attitude left a lot to be desired so I sent her home with a little parting gift."_

_"What sort of gift?"_

_"Well you know what they say about visiting the forest in the middle of skunk mating season." And Sombra laughed so hard that he nearly chocked on his tea._

_"I wish I could have seen that."_

_"But I'll tell you the same thing. I have no interest in serving anyone or getting involved in your little squabbles. I only wish to be left alone."_

_"Is that really want you want though?"_

_"And what is that supposed to mean?" Sombra raised his hoof._

_"I mean no offense. Just hear me out. It seems to me that despite all your power you aren't particularly happy with it."_

_"Whatever I do with my power is entirely my business!"_

_"So what exactly is it that you do with it then?" Discord found himself unable to answer. "I thought so. You could do so much with your powers but you're just wasting them if all you use them for is self-gratification. You should find a purpose for them. Something that really makes a difference." Taking his saucer, Discord dipped it in his tea before taking a bite out of it._

_"And what purpose do you have in mind?" he asked through his mouthful._

_"Why don't you try being a hero?" Sombra asked._

_"A hero?"_

_"Why not? You've obviously not evil. If you were you would have accepted Celestia's offer. Or at the very least let your power go to your head and run around abusing it and others. But if you were to join me, it would go a long way to ending the threat Celestia nd her followers pose to the kingdom. My subjects need your help Discord. I need your help. Not as a servant, but as a comrade and friend. So what do you say?" A hero huh? To be honest the thought had never occured to him._

_"I don't know," Discord said. "Seems like it would be more trouble than it's worth."_

_"It's true," Sombra admitted. "The journey I'm asking you to accompany me on is not an easy one. But if you have the strength to see it through, I'm sure you'll find the rewards to be well worth it." Discord thought it over and finally shrugged in resignation._

_"Oh very well. It's not like I have anything better to do at the moment. But I'm only staying until I get bored. After that, I'm gone"..._

...But it didn't get boring. Adventuring with Sombra, fighting evil, being a hero. It was because of Sombra that Discord finally found the missing meaning in his life. _I won't let the journey end like this_, he vowed. _We've still got too many adventures ahead of us._

With all of Equestria spread beneath her, Chrysalis flew towards the changeling's hive in the Foal Mountains. It did her good to see the kingdom restored to its former glory. And with Celestia no longer a threat, the hearts of the kingdom were already starting to swell with the joy and love that had first drawn her kind to this land.

Suddenly she felt a disturbance in the emotional harmony beneath her. Flying low to investigate, Chrysalis saw a little Earth Pony filly wandering the woods.

"Patches," the child called. "Patches where are you? Please come home!" Expanding her senses, Chysalis searched for any other disturbances and felt one in the near distance. Upon following the sensation to its source, Chrysalis found a lost kitten crouching in a hollowed out log. Once she had lured it out, she quickly flew back with it to its owner.

"Here you are little one."

"Patches!" she cried. "Thank you your highness!"

"You're quite welcome." As she watched the filly head home with her kitten safely mounted on her back, Chrysalis was grateful she and her other changelings had a place where they could live openly with others. She could still remember a time when that was little more than a dream for them...

_...With the two ponies following after her, Chrysalis led them down the rocky trail that ran deep within the mountains. Occasionally, she would cast a hesitant glance back at her companions. What she was doing didn't make any sense. As the Queen, the safety of the Changelings rested entirely on her shoulders. But at the same time, nor could she claim that she sensed any malice from them towards her. Even when she had revealed her true form and tried to drive them off, the one called Sombra had merely sealed her in a barrier; releasing her after he explained that he and the mare called Luna were only investigating why the white alicorn they called Celestia had attacked the mountains. Once introductions were completed, Sombra had asked if there were any others and Chrysalis agreed to show them the hive._

_"Is it much further?" he asked._

_"We're already here actually." Passing through a fissure in the rock, she led them into the cavern where the hive had established it's temporary home. All around them, wingless workers blasted at the rock to carve new abodes which they then lined with silk produced from their own bodies while overhead, winged soldiers clung to the ceiling, ready to take flight if the white alicorn launched another attack._

_"Your majesty this is amazing," Luna marveled. "Their culture is similar to that of social insects with clearly designated caste levels. But their physiology suggests none of the reproductive restrictions one usually finds in such creatures." Upon realizing that non-changelings had entered the colony, the workers grabbed the larvae and fled into the safety of their burrows as the soldiers dropped to the ground, their horns glowing and ready to fire. _

_"It's alright everyone," Chrysalis assured them. "They're not with the one that attacked us. Apparently she's their enemy as well." With their queen's assurance, the soldiers stood down as the other changelings emerged from their silk lined lairs. As they gathered around them, Chrysalis couldn't help but notice that those closest to King Sombra seemed to be undergoing a change as their eyes and carapaces went from dull and listless to bright and shining._

_"Why are they reacting like that?" Luna asked._

_"My people draw strength from love and other positive emotions," Chrysalis explained. "But because of our appearance, many deem us as monsters and drive us away. That's why we evolved the power to change our form." As she spoke, Chyrsalis' body glowed with a green light and shifted her appearance to match that of Luna. "This way we can gather the energy we need without being detected."_

_"So you just take the place of whoever you turn into?" Luna asked._

_"No of course not!" Chrysalis cried out as she changed back. "We don't mean any harm to anyone. We just use our transformations to blend in and absorb whatever ambient love is around us. Once we have enough, we move on without anyone knowing we were there."_

_"It must be difficult living a nomadic lifestyle," Sombra said._

_"It is," she admitted. "But it's our fate. That's why we came here to Equestria. The ponies here are so happy and loving to each other. And after meeting you, I can see why. Please, we don't mean to cause any trouble. Just let us stay long enough to regain our strength and we'll leave." King Sombra looked at the poor weakened creatures around him and shook his head._

_"I'm sorry. But I'm afraid I can't allow that."_

_"Your majesty!" Luna cried out, but Chrysalis raised a hoof to stop her_

_"It's alright. As king, he has a responsibility to his subjects first."_

_"You didn't let me finish," Sombra interrupted. "What I meant was that I can't allow you and your kind to wander anymore without a home."_

_"Wha...what?" Chrysalis asked_

_"You said yourself you don't mean any harm. If all you need is to be surrounded by positive emotions then why not settle here in Equestria. With an enemy like Celestia, I could use all the help I can get."_

_"But...what about your subjects?" she reminded him._

_"The ponies of Equestria aren't like the beings you've encountered before," he assured her. "Give them a chance. I'll introduce you. I promise no harm will come to you or your kind." And so the next day, escourted by King Sombra and Princess Luna and accompanid by a handful of her soldiers, Chrysalis stood in the town square of Canterlot where a mob of curious onlookers quickly gathered around them._

_"Ponies of Equestria," Sombra's voice called over the crowd. "These are the changelings. Like us, they are enemies of Princess Celestia. As such, I have invited them to dwell in our kingdom so that they might join the fight against our shared enemy." Hiding her face behind a lock of her hair, Chrysalis fidgeted under the stares of Canterlot's citizenry. Never before had so many looked upon her true form at once. Her escort took position around her to allow her room to flee if the ponies attacked when a little pegasus filly suddenly came up to her._

_"Oh...hello little one," Chrysalis nervously said. Though she loved children, they did not seem to share the same affection for her. She waited for the inevitable scream or frightened tears, but instead the filly just smiled up at her._

_"I wish my wings were as pretty as yours," she said. No sooner had she done so, the ponies of Equestria came forward en mass to greet them..._

..._You were the first to not treat us as monsters,_ Chrysalis thought. _No matter what's happened, I know you're not a monster either Sombra. And when we find you, I'll do everything I can to help you realize that as well._

From the veranda of Canterlot Castle, Princess Celestia lowered the sun to bring the day to an end. Although it had been over a month since Sombra had drained the darkness in her heart, it still felt strange for her to use the sun to bring harmony and peace instead of suffering and terror. _I suppose Derpy is right_, she thought. _The creatures of Equestria really don't have any reason to trust me and my sister. _It would take a long time, but Celestia was ready to accept responsibility for her actions whatever it took. Short of being Discord's sidekick of course. The amount of time she already spent with him was irritating enough.

As the sun began to vanish beneath the horizen, Celestia looked around but saw no sign of her sister coming to raise the moon. That had to mean she was back there again. Spreading her wings, Celestia took to the sky as two nearby guards on patrol lowered their spears. _Really_, she thought. _Even if I wasn't trapped in this castle it's not like you could do anything to stop me._ As part of the condition for keeping her and Luna under the council's control, Discord had fastened a new pair of collars for both of them which only he could take off. With his magic infused into them, Luna and Celestia were unable to go any further than the castle grounds unless in his company, regarless of whatever means they used.

Over the castle she flew to the main keep where she entered into what had once been Sombra's throne room. As she expected, Luna was there, staring up at the now vacant seat of power.

"Luna," Celestia called out. With a start, Luna turned around and Celestia saw streams of tears falling down her younger sister's cheeks.

"Oh, Celestia! I'm sorry. I was just thinking and I lost track of time."

"Luna you can't keep doing this to yourself." Turning back to the throne, Luna hung her head in shame as her voice broke with barely contained sobs.

"What else am I supposed to do?" she asked. "Everything was my fault. If I hadn't given in to my jealousy none of this would have happened. The balance of our world wouldn't have been thrown into disarray, the rift wouldn't have become aggravated, and Sombra wouldn't have sacrificed himself like that." You're wrong Luna, Celestia thought as she approached her. Regardless of your own actions, I was the one who set everything in motion. Just as it was my betrayal of you that caused the barrier to come crashing down in order to force the other Celestia to our world. And while Luna had not born any resentment towards her, as long as she lived she could never forgive herself for hurting her. Laying her wing across her sister's back, Celestia pulled her into an embrace. Caring about others and their welfare was another aspect of her new existence that she had yet to adjust to...

_...Flying above Canterlot Castle, Celestia watched and waited. Normally, she wouldn't be able to get this close to the Castle without being detected by that fool Discord. But with the Draconequus investigating that disturbance her wonderbolts had caused in Vanhoover, she could finally put her plan into fruition. Long had she been watching the denizens of Canterlot and one in particular had caught her attention. If Celestia could turn her to her side then the balance of power between her and Sombra would shift greatly in her favor._

_Finally, she saw the one she ws looking for. From out of the castle, her younger sister ran out onto the verandah, her face was flushed with anger and trembling with barely contained frustration, exactly as she had hoped. _

_"Hello dear sister." Luna whirled around as the Evil Princess of the Sun dropped to the ground behind her._

_"Celestia," Luna bristled. "You've got some nerve coming here!"_

_"No need to be so hostile Luna," she laughed. "I just came to talk."_

_"You really expect me to believe that?"_

_"My poor Luna," Celestia replied "Has Sombra's betrayal of you really hardened your heart to the point that you would reject your own sister when she's trying to help?"_

_"What are you talking about? His Majesty would never betray anyone close to him."_

_"Are you sure about that?" Igniting her horn, Celestia conjured a glowing sphere that shifted into a scene from the previous year's Grand Galloping Gala. In the image, King Sombra was dancing with a white alicorn wearing a golden dress who was nearly a perfect copy of herself, the Celestia from the other world._

_"I fail to see what you're intention is," Luna said as she looked away._

_"They make such a beautiful couple don't they," Celestia remarked. "A heroic king and his beautiful princess. I even understand that he changed the Gala's date so she could attend without being absent from the one in her world." Luna didn't answer. "But I wonder. Is it right for them to go on this way? After all, she isn't even from this world. Neither of them can surrender their thrones to be with the other. And there are so many deserving mares in our world that would be much more suitable for him." Luna looked up at her sister and glared in defiance._

_"I know what you're trying to do," she said. "And it won't work Celestia."_

_"Oh but I'm not trying to do anything," Celestia grinned. "I'm merely stating the truth. It just doesn't seem fair to me. You've served King Sombra loyally for so long. Done whatever he's asked of you. And how does he repay you? By ignoring your feelings and treating you as just another servant."_

_"You...you're wrong. The king isn't like that."_

_"Oh?" Celestia asked. "If not then why do you seem so upset?" Luna lowered her gaze in shame._

_"He wanted me to try deciphering the notes we recovered from Star Swirl's hidden lab again. He's convinced that he had been conducting the same research as the one from the other world into transdimensional travel." Celestia smirked at that. Star Swirl the Goateed had been a brilliant sorceror, but had overstepped his bounds when he attempted to usurp Celestia's throne for himself. As for his notes, trying to garner anything from them was a fool's errand. Even she could not decipher the code he had written them in. Luckily, an alternative plan had already been formed and would begin with Luna's defection. Taking her sister's chin in her hoof, Celestia lifted the younger alicorn's gaze back to her own._

_"He's so captivated by something he can't have that he can't even see the precious jewel standing right before him. And she's just as much at fault as he is. I can see that you consider her a friend; that she's exactly the kind of elder sister you've always wanted. But a true friend would see that she was hurting you. She would see the feelings you carry and work to alleviate them instead of ignoring them for her own benefit. But I would never do that to you Luna. I may not be the sister you want but unlike them I am here for you. It's time for you to stop wishing for what you can't have and be satisfied with what you can."_

_"Celestia...I..." but before Luna could finish, a golden beam flew past her head and blasted her sister back._

_"Celestia!" King Sombra yelled. "What are you doing here! Luna are you alright! Did she hurt you?"_

_"Your majesty," Luna gasped. From down on the ground, Celestia moaned in pain. Sombra may have lacked talent but his strength was every bit a match for hers. That blast would have broken a normal pony._

_"Luna, go get the guards! I'll hold her down. If we can keep her restrained until Discord gets back, he can seal her magic and then it'll finally be over."_

_"And then what?" Celestia asked. "What need will he have for you without me?"_

_"Luna what are you waiting for?" he ordered. "Go now!"_

_"Decision time Luna," Celestia stated. "Will you continue to suffer and yearn for what you can never have? Or will you accept and take what you can?" For what seemed like an eternity, Luna stood still as a statue before she finally stepped forward to place herself between her sister and her king._

_"Luna what are you doing?" Sombra asked. But Luna didn't answer. Instead, she turned her back to the king she had served for so long and helped her sister to her feet._

_"Let's go!" she said. Celestia smiled as she spread her wings and with her younger sister by her side, flew off into the night. With their combined power, all of Equestria would soon be theirs. And quite possibly the other as well._

_"Luna!" Sombra yelled. "Luna don't do this! Come back!" As Canterlot Castle faded into the distance, Celestia looked at her newest ally and smiled._

_"Don't worry dear little sister," Celestia laughed. "Those tears will dry very shortly..."_

..."We both share the blame for what happened," she told her. "Now we have to make amends for it. Sombra's alive Luna. He's out there. And when we find him he's going to need all the help you can give him so you need to be strong." Luna buried her face in her sister's neck as Celestia cast the spell that raised the moon on Luna's behalf. It was ironic. Celestia had spent centuries battling Sombra, dreaming of the day when she would finally cast him down and reign over all of Equestria. Now she was, albeit in a limited fashion, and she would give it all up just to have him back. _Sombra,_ she wondered. _Where are you?_

In the Macintosh Hills that seperated southern Equestria from the Badlands, a complex series of cave systems and abandoned mines crisscrossed the entire region, creating a maze that a pony could get lost in if they weren't careful. Or a hiding place for somepony who didn't want to be found.

Stumbling as he walked, his hooves chipped and cracked, Sombra, exiled King of Equestria, wandered deep into the mine tunnel. Once he felt certain that he was hidden from sight, he sank to the ground to rest where he pulled a golden crown from within his ratted cloak.

"Celestia," he whispered as he cradled the headpiece. When he had taken the dark power of the Evil Pony Sisters into himself, his mind had been clouded by rage and a burning hunger to destroy everything, until the sight of her face pulled him back from the abyss. Her expression at what he had become, so full of horror and grief, was so great that he couldn't bear to have her look at him. So he had fled like a coward. And now that the mirror linking their worlds was shattered, the crown was the only remnant of the alicorn whom he had loved so deeply. So deeply that he was willing to become a monster to keep her from sacrificing herself to heal the rift that had threatened both their worlds. It was the only thing that keep the darkness from taking him over completely.

Ever since he had continued to flee, discarding his armor and cape for a beggar's cloak, resisting any urge to use his magic to avoid being detected by Discord. He knew that Discord, that all of them, would be looking for him. But he couldn't go back. He was no longer their king. It took all of his will just to maintain control over the darkness that constantly threatened to overtake him. Even now he could hear it calling to him, demanding that it be set free. He had almost done so when he had broken into that farmer's fruit cellar outside of Appleloosa. He hadn't eaten for three days and the smell of the preserves was too much to resist. And when the famer found him, the desire to unleash his fury was overwhelming. He could practically smell the farmer's fear for himself and his family. It was such an wonderful scent that Sombra almost felt as if he could devour it whole. But at the last second, he had regained control and forced himself to flee into the night.

And once he crossed into the lawless Badlands, far from civilization, he could finally rest. There, he could keep the darkness contained where it would never threaten his kingdom again. He would never see Canterlot or the comrades he had shared so much with. Just as he would never see his beloved Celestia again.

"It's cold," he murmured. His eyes heavy with exhaustion, Sombra slumped against the hard stone floor. But even in sleep peace didn't find him. The darkness continued to gnaw and claw at him, attempting to drag him into a void from which he would never return.

But then it all stopped. Adrift in silence, Sombra felt something caress and tickle his face as a warm sensation suddenly spread through him. _Who's there?_ he wondered. _This feeling, why is it so familiar?_ He opened his eyes and instead of the mine he found himsef in a sunlit spring field. And above him, a pair of warm magenta eyes gazed down at him as their owner cradled his head in the lap of her forelegs, her shimmering mane cascading over them both.

"Celestia," Sombra whispered. "How are you here?" But his love didn't answer. She simply lowered her face and gently nuzzled it against his. "It was all a dream," he sighed in relief. "Just a dream." A feeling of peace he had feared he would never feel again began to overtake him as all the rage and fear he had taken onto himself faded into memory.

"Sombra," Celestia softly cooed into his ear. "Tell me about your world."

Floating above Sombra's sleeping form, the shadow looked upon the former king with overwhelming disgust. It hadn't been hard to track him down. The scent of dark magic was well known to him but he hadn't expected to find this. Was this broken wretch truly this world's verson of...the shadow couldn't even stomach the thought. Such a waste that this marvelous power should find itself in the hands of a coward that skulked and hid like a rat in a hay loft when he could be enslaving the entire world. But at least his struggle against its influence had weakened his will enough to be ensorcelled. The dream glamour placed upon him would keep his spirit calm and placid so the shadow could obtain what he sought.

"Sombra," he whispered as he laid a shadowy limb on the sleeping king's forehead. "Tell me about your world." Their minds connected and the information flowed from the other Sombra into him. Sorting through his puppet's memories, he harvested any information that could be useful such as all potential enemies and the history of the war with this world's Celestia. One item of particular interest regarded how long ago, she had employed a sorceror by the name of Star Swirl whom she had banished following a failed coup. _If these two worlds are true mirror reflections of each other,_ he mused, _then the Star Swirl of this world must have been performing the same research as the one from mine._ So why had the Celestia of this world lured the other one here in order to take that secret from her? He delved deeper and saw that the notes Sombra and his allies had recovered were written in a code that not even Discord's magic could decipher. And if that was the case then that could only mean one thing.

And then, he uncovered what he sought above all others. _Incredible_, he realized. _This exceeds all of my expectations._ Even if the secrets of this world's Star Swirl were unobtainable, he had still gained enough to take at least this world for himself.

Satisfied that he had everything he needed, he broke the connection and flew off into the night. He would wait a few days before taking any further steps. The curse he had placed on his world's Celestia would take at least that long to fully take hold. He just wished he could be there to see it for himself. In the meantime however, he had to make sure his pawn didn't perish.

_(Special thanks to MLP-Silver-Quill for allowing me to make a reference to his OC Clutterstep, comics of which can be viewed on DeviantArt)_


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 3

COLD

=Equestria Prime (4 days later)=

"Was it really necessary to make them bump us up to first class?" Twilight asked. "I mean, they didn't even charge us extra."

"Now Twilight dear," Rarity lectured. "You're a princess now. And with that title comes certain responsibilities. Among those is meeting your subject's expectations for how you travel."

"Just let it go Twilight," Applejack said from under her hat. "Ya know how Rarity gets once she gets an idea in 'er head." Twilight nodded and gazed out the window as the scenery continued to race by. She, Spike, and all her friends had left Ponyville early that morning on the train to Canterlot. Spring was coming to an end and the Summer Sun Celebration was less than a month away. Unlike the previous years, Princess Celestia had issued a proclamation that from now on, the festival would no longer celebrate her victory over Nightmare Moon but instead the return of Princess Luna. And according to her latest correspondance with the Princess, she was to aid Celestia and Luna during the opening ceremony for the Canterlot festivities. _If somepony had told me a year ago that I'd be a princess,_ she thought,_ I'd have called them crazy. Never mind all the stuff that led up to it._

"You okay Twilight?" Spike asked.

"Yeah I'm just thinking. I can't believe that an entire year has already gone by. So much has happened."

"I know," Spike agreed. "I don't think I can even remember it all."

"Oooh I can," Pinkie Pie said as she bounced up in her seat. "Let's see there was Nightmare Moon, meeting Zecora, the parasprite swam, the Grand Galloping Gala, Discord, the Smarty Pants Incident..."

"I was hoping you'd forget that one," Twilight sheepishly mumbled.

"...Nightmare Night with Princess Luna, The Big Wedding in Canterlot, my clones, Rarity turning into Nightmare Rarity, the Crystal Empire, Trixie becoming a great big mean grumpy dictator-pants, reforming Discord, and...," reaching behind her, Pinkie Pie pulled out a crystal flugelhorn and unleashed a trumpeting blast that echoed around the entire car "...Twilight becoming a PRINCESS!"

"I thought we took that thing away from her," Rarity grimmaced.

"We did," Applejack replied.

"And the six other ones she had as well," Rainbow added.

"Well in any case," Twilight said as the ringing in her ears quieted. "I wouldn't have been able to accomplish any of it without all of you. I really don't say it enough but I'm glad that you all became my friends."

"Aw heck sugarcube," Applejack said as she put a foreleg around Twilight's shoulder. "We know that 'n we feel the same way. Without you, our lives'd be a lot less interestin'."

"Hey barkeep," Rainbow called out. "Seven colas stat!"

"Sparkling water for me please," Rarity added.

"Coming right up," the unicorn behind the bar said. From out of the cabinets, six glasses floated onto a tray which were then filled with ice cubes and drinks before the entire tray was levitated to the table where they sat.

"Here's to another year of friendship and crazy adventures," Pinkie said as she raised her glass. "I can't wait to reminisce about all the ones we're about to have at next year's Summer Sun Celebration!"

"Cheers!" they all said as they clinked their glasses. As she drank, Twilight looked down and noticed that Spike was staring into his glass.

"What's wrong Spike?"

"Is it really such a good idea for Princess Celestia to go through with the Summer Sun Celebration?" he asked. "Especially after everything that happened." Immediately, the jubilant mood of the six ponies faded. Their adventure in that alternate Equestria was still fresh in their memory, as was their concern for Princess Celestia's well being.

"I can't imagine what that must be like," Fluttershy said. "Being in love with somepony for so long but not being able to be with him except for a few moments at a time. And then watching him get turned into something evil just to save you before being seperated forever."

"So much for love conquering all," Twilight said. For a while, the only sound in the car was the clackety-clack of the train tracks before Rainbow finally spoke up.

"Hey don't worry about the Princess. She's tough. Almost as tough as me. She's faced Nightmare Moon, Discord, and more bad guys than we can count. She's not gonna let something like this get her down. You'll see. When we get to Canterlot she's gonna be back to her old self."

"I hope you're right Rainbow," Twilight sighed. _ Of course I know that the Princess is strong,_ she thought. _ But that whole incident in the other world made me realize that underneath it all she's a pony like everyone else._ That was the real reason they had all decided to go to Canterlot together. Twilight was planning to collect some more books from Star Swirl's library, Rarity was going to pick up materials for her new dress line, Applejack was going to negotiate a business deal between Sweet Apple Acres and the Fruit Vendor's guild at the Town Bazaar, and Rainbow was eager to catch the Wonderbolts train at the new stadium. But first thing in all their minds was to check on Princess Celestia and see if she was okay.

Upon arriving at Canterlot Station, the six ponies and dragon assistant went straight to the castle where they were greeted with a flurry of activity. All around them, groundskeepers rushed to scrub the walkways of any dirt and trim any stray branches from the hedges while mason ponies on hoof cranked platforms worked to repair any cracks in the castle walls.

"Oh my," Fluttershy observed as they walked through the courtyard. "They're certainly busy today aren't they?"

"They certainly are," Rarity agreed. "I hear that this year's main event for the festivities in Canterlot is a masquerade ball here at the castle. Royalty as far away as Saddle Arabia, Vanneighheim, and even Nipony are going to be attending. Oh! If the princess invites us maybe I'll finally get to meet my prince!"

"But didn't you already meet Prince Blueblood already?" Pinkie asked.

"We do not speak his name," Rarity grumbled.

"Hey Twilight doesn't this seem strange?" Applejack suddenly asked.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked back. "Everything looks in perfect order to me. There's not a single pony slacking at their work."

"But that's what what Ah'm talkin' about," Applejack explained. "Look at everypony. They're actin' jumpier than a rabbit durin' Timber Wolf seaon. They're tense, they're always lookin' over their shoulder. It doesn't seem like they're enjoyin' their work much."

"Hmm," Rarity said. "Now that you mention it things do seem a bit high-strung around here."

"Twilight?" a voice suddenly called out. From the behind a bush, a pink alicorn with a striped mane stepped into view.

"Cadence!" Twilight cried as she ran to meet her sister in law. Meeting each other halfway, the two princesses broke out into the pattyhoof bit Cadance had taught her when she had been Twilight's foalsiter.

"Sunshine, Sunshine

Ladybugs Awake!

Clap your hooves and

Do a little shake!"

With their customary greeting finished, the two princesses broke into a fit of giggling and embraced each other, oblivious to the perplexed stares of the castle gardeners.

"Cadence what are you doing here?" Twilight asked. "Are you going to partake in the celebration as well?" No sooner had she asked did Twilight notice the grim expression on Cadence's face. "Cadence what's wrong?"

"Actually Twilight I came for another reason. Would you all come with me? And whatever you do be quiet." In an instant, all eyes fell on Pinkie.

"What?" Pinkie asked. "I can be very quiet when I need to be. Rarity, remember that time when we were at the spa, and I kept myself from laughing when..."

"Okay!" Rarity nervously laughed. "Nobody wants to hear such a trivial story Pinkie. Cadence, lead the way." Looking around as if expecting trouble, Cadence gestured them to follow once she seemed confident it was safe to do so.

"Twilight?" Spike whispered. "What do you think's going on?"

"I don't know. Let's just go along with it for now and hopefully we'll get an answer." Around the Castle they went, through the royal gardens and into the hedge maze. Once they had reached the center, Twilight and her friends found themselves greeted by another alicorn whose dark blue coat and starlight mane made her instantly recognizable to all who saw her. "Princess Luna?" Twilight asked as the Princess of the Night came toward them

"Twilight I am glad to see you. And your brought all of your friends as well? Excellent! Cadence, did she see you?"

"Don't worry," Cadence answered. "She was still inside so we were able to move without getting noticed."

"Ooh!" Pinkie interruted. "Are we throwing someone a surprise party? We'll need streamers, balloons, ice cream, a DJ. Oh can we get Vinyl Scratch to..." but Pinkie was cut off as Applejack placed her hoof over her mouth.

"Thank you," Luna said. "Everyone, I am most hesitant to involve you in my personal matters, but I do not know what other action to take."

"Princess what's going on?" Twilight asked. Luna sighed and looked to the castle.

"It's Celestia," she answered. "Something is wrong and I think it has something to do with the incident."

"Incident?" Fluttershy asked. "Um, excuse me Princess, but are you sure we should be discussing this in front of..."

"It's alright Fluttershy," Cadence interrupted. "When Luna learned you all were coming she called for me as well. She told me all about what had happened when I arrived."

"I know that Celestia had us promise not to reveal to anyone the truth of what happened," Luna said. "But Cadence is much more versed in these matters than I am and I felt she could provide an invaluable council."

"Well actually," Pinkie remarked as she hoofed through a rule book, "she only asked us not to tell her subjects. According to this since Cadance is also a princess she's technically not one of those so you're in the clear."

"Wherever did she get..."Luna started to ask before Rainbow cut her off.

"Just let it go and save yourself the headache."

"So what exactly is wrong with the princess?" Spike asked.

"I'll start at the beginning," Luna explained. "For the first few weeks after the incident in the other world, Celestia went about affairs as if nothing had happened. She threw herself into her duties, putting on a cheerful exterior in the presence of the public and castle servants. But in private her demeanor changed completely. She would rarely eat more than a few bites unless I preassured her. And when not occupied, she would sit in her chambers and stare at that shard she kept from the original mirror. What's more, I don't think she's had a truly restful night's sleep since. Many times I would look in on her and she'd be either tossing about her bed or silently weeping. And it's only gotten worse with her preparing for the Summer Sun Celebration. "

"You can't really blame her," Rarity said. "Especially after losing a stallion like that other Sombra. She may be the princess but she's still a lady and a lady's heart is like fine crystal."

"Love is a powerful and complex force," Cadence added. "When it's lost it can feel as though the entire world has ended. I know that's how I felt when Chrysalis took my place before my wedding. It sounds to me like Celestia's suffering from a broken heart. I'm sorry Luna, but there is no quick fix for that. I'm afraid all we can do is let it run its course and let Celestia know that we're there for her."

"I can kinda relate," Applejack added. "When my ma and pa died back when I was a little filly, I cried myself to sleep every night for almost a month. I don't know what I would 'a done if I didn't have Granny and Big Mac to help me through. Plus, with Apple Bloom still in diapers, someone had to step up to help Granny take care of 'er."

"Have you talked to her about any of this?" Fluttershy asked. Instead of answering, Luna hung her head in shame.

"Excuse me Princess," Rarity asked. "But you're not still mad at her for her relationship with the Luna from the other world are you?"

"No...yes...I mean...yes for the first few weeks I did avoid talking over the subject. I just wanted to forget it ever happened and move on. But now...the truth is I'm frightened."

"Frightened?" Twilight asked. "Of Princess Celestia?"

"The night before you sent notice that you were coming, she woke screaming from a nightmare that awakened half the castle. And that's when things changed."

"Changed as in how?" Spike asked.

"It was gradual at first," Luna explained. "She would randomly become short with the castle servants. Nothing serious, and she always apologized afterwards. But as they became more frequent she stopped making amends. She's cold to everyone and the entire castle is on edge. It's gotten to the point that preparations for the Celebration here in Canterlot have begun to be negatively affected. It's almost as if..."

"As if what?" Twilight asked. Luna looked to each of them, lingering especially on Rarity, before she answered.

"The way Celestia has been acting is exactly the way I did before I was corrupted by Nightmare Moon."

"N-N-N-N-Nightmare Moon!" Fluttershy gasped.

'Oh no!" Rarity whimpered. "Not again!"

"Having a nightmare, changes in personality," Spike gulped. "Yeah, that sounds like Nightmare Moon's M.O. alright!"

"This is a disaster!" Pinkie yelled. "Princess Celestia's going to turn into Nightmare Sun! The sunshine...will last...FOREVER! Hey that actually sounds like it might be pretty fun."

"Everyone calm down!" Twilight ordered. "It's not Nightmare Moon. And even if it was, do you really think that Celestia would be weak enough to let herself be taken over?" Realizing too late what she had said, Twilight turned nervously to Rarity and Luna. "No offense."

"None taken," they sighed.

"Don't worry Rarity," Spike said. "If Nightmare Moon comes anywhere near you again she's going to have to go through me first!" Rarity looked down at the little dragon and smiled as she cupped her his chin in her hoof.

"Oh Spikey-wikey," Rarity purred. "How can I be scared when I have big strong dragon like you to protect me?"

"Ehba, heba, numa, guma," Spike slured as he began to levitate into the air.

"Alrighty then!" Pinkie announced. "Desperate times call for desperate measures! Operation Sunny Side up will now commence!"

"Operation what?" Rainbow asked.

"Mr. Cake told me that he has a cousin who also owns a special gourmet bakery here in Canterlot. If there's one thing I know, it's that there's no grumpiness a box of super fancy cupcakes won't cure."

"Pinkie I really don't think that cupcakes are the answer," Twilight commented.

"Oh Twilight Twilight Twilight," Pinkie said as she patted her friend's head. "Never underestimate the power of cake! Keep it a secret 'till I get back okay." Before anyone could say anything else, Pinkie had already bounded out of the maze and off into town.

"Twilight," Luna said. "I'm not exactly sure if your pink friend is a genius or a madmare."

"Well that's our Pinkie," Applejack shrugged. "In the meantime, what do we do now?"

"Let's not do anything until after we have all the facts," Twilight decided. "According to the All Pony's Guidebook I read about grief and loss, a pony will go through five distinct stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. It sounds like Celestia was in the denial stage and now she's entering anger. I'll go and talk to her and see if I can't get some further insight."

"Thank you Twilight," Luna said. "She should be meeting with the planning committee in the throne room."

"Ungh! Boring!" Rainbow groaned. "You go sit in a meeting if you want. Me? I'm gonna go watch the Wonderbolts train." Before anyone could stop her, Rainbow had already vanished into the sky with nothing but a rainbow jet stream left in her wake.

"Rainbow!" Twilight yelled.

"Don't worry Twilight," Applejack assured her. "You and the others go talk with the Princess and see if you can't get to the bottom of this. Me 'n Rarity will go bring Rainbow 'n Pinkie back after we get all our errands done."

"Good idea Applejack. We'll meet back here in three hours."

"Right," everyone agreed as they all went their seperate ways, except for Spike who continued to babble in mid air.

"Ehba, heba, numa, guma!"

"Come on Spike!" Twilight ordered as she grabbed at his tail and tugged him after her.

The throne room was bright. Far too bright. Sunlight flowed through the stained glass windows and created swirling patterns of color on the marble floor that made Celestia's head spin. Between that and the incessant droning of the Celebration's planning committee over matters that nopony with an ounce of sense would care about, it took all of her willpower not to burst out screaming.

"Princess?" one of them asked. The way they looked at her, so full of discomfort. Was it really so disconcerting for them to be around her? Wasn't it enough that she was going through with the Summer Sun Celebration despite the fact that she didn't even want to? But that didn't surprise her. What did they care about what she had lost? What she had been denied? And all for their sake! _Stop it_, Celestia told herself. _ Keep it under control. They don't know what happened. And you never should have taken it as far as you did anyway._

"Yes I'm listening."

"Um yes," the committee chairman said. "As I was saying, following the morning events, the afternoon will host a drama performed by students from the Manehatten Institute for Performing Arts concerning Princess Luna's corruption by Nightmare Moon and her redemption. The director sends his assurances that the matter will be treated with utmost respect and that your sister will be depicted as a sympathetic character."

"I see," Celestia said. Luna could easily be forgiven. After all, she wasn't the one who everyone looked up to and depended upon. She didn't have to constantly worry failing their expection about being perfect in every word and action.

"Finally," he continued, "we have some permits regarding..."

"Just send them to my chambers at day's end," Celestia interrupted. The meeting had gone on long enough and her patience was running thin. "I'll have them signed by tomorrow."

"Yes of course," the chairman answered with a bow. "Well I think that's everything. If you'll excuse us, we have a meeting with the caterers regarding hors d'oeuvres to be served during the masquerade." As the planning committee turned and half fled from the throne room, Celestia took a deep breath to steady herself but felt only a minor release of tension.

"Kibitz," she called. From off to the side, an elder unicorn with a finely groomed mustache came before the throne.

"I'm here your highness."

"Are we finished yet?"

"Um, no your highness," Kibitz answered as he read off the scheduling scroll. "Next you have a meeting with the parade committee regarding the route and then with the vendor's committee regarding assignment spots for the concession stands." It never ended. They always wanted something from her. They couldn't even give her a moment of peace.

"Very well," she said. "I will be there shortly."

"Of course," Kibitz added, "If you're not feeling well we could always re..." but one glare from Celestia was all it took to convey her thoughts on that idea.

"I'm fine."

"Of course your highness," Kibitz replied as he rushed from the throne room. Now that she was finally alone, Celestia allowed herself to slump in her throne as she rubbed her forehead with her hoof. Her temple and heart were both pounding like a drum. But through the anger and frustration, one thought kept running through her mind.

_What is wrong with me?_ she wondered. _Why am I acting like this?_

As she watched the whole scene from outside the throne room's door, Twilight could scarecely believe what she had seen. She had anticipated that the Princess would't be her usual self, but what she had just seen was so out of character that she almost seemed a different pony.

"Hey Twilight," Spike suggested. "Maybe we should wait until after Pinkie gets back with those cupcakes before we talk to her."

"I don't think I want to go to the Summer Sun Celebration any more," Fluttershy whimpered as she cowered behind Luna.

"Look," Twilight tried to assure them. "She might be a little tense but that's understandable given the circumstances. Having to deal with preparing for the Summer Sun Celebration after all that's happened has got be a little trying even for her nerves."

"Do you want me to go out with you?" Cadence asked.

"Let's keep it simple for now," Twilight decided. "The last thing we want to do is to make the Princess feel that we're ganging up on her. Besides, I don't think it's a good idea for her to know that you know just yet."

"You're probably right," Cadence agreed. "I'll meet you and the others back in the garden. I hope everything goes well Twilight."

"And while you're talking with Celestia," Luna said, "Fluttershy would you mind accompanying me to my chambers? I have another problem that I feel you would be most helpful with."

"Oh um okay," Fluttershy answered. "I don't know how much help I can be but I'll do my very best."

"Any chance your problem could use a little extra help?" Spike asked as Twilight's magic tugged at the scruff of his neck.

"Move it Spike. Just pretend you're protecting Rarity from Nightmare Moon." With Spike reluctantly keeping pace alongside her, Twilight straightened herself up and marched into the throne room. "Princess Celestia?"

"Twilight?" the Princess cried out as they approached the throne. "Why are...oh yes. That's right. You wrote that you are and your friends were coming to Canterlot for business of some kind. Where are they by the way?"

"They came along. They're just running errands in town."

"So Pinkie Pie is not here at the moment?" Celestia asked. "Good." Without a word, Twlight and Spike exchanged mutual glances of shock and confusion. Never in all the time either of them had known the Princess had they ever heard her speak that way about anyone. "And why are you not with them?"

"Well, I wanted to pick up some more books from Star Swirl's library for Ponyville. I hope that's alright."

"What you do with them is no concern of mine," Celestia said as she spread her wings and flew down from the throne to the floor. "If you want to remove any books from Star Swirl's libraray then go ahead. However there is considerable work being done in the castle so while you're here be sure not to get in anypony's way."

"Well we also wanted to check on how you were doing. You know, considering all that happened. Are you sure you're okay to perform the Summer Sun Celebration? I could help if you feel overwhelmed or just need a break." No sooner had Twilight asked then the Princess looked at her with the same icy glare that she had given Mr. Kibitz.

"I thought I instructed you that that matter was never to be brought up again."

"I'm not," Twilight stammered. "I'm just worried that..."

"Twilight I am perfectly capable of handling my responsibilities. I did so for 1000 years by myself and I am more than capable of doing so for another millenia if need be. I suggest you remember that and concern yourself more with your own duties." Shocked by the cold anger in her former teacher's eyes, Twilight stepped back, almost tripping over Spike as he hid behind her.

"I didn't mean any disrespect Princess."

"Then next time think before you speak. Now If you'll excuse me." Moving aside, Twilight kept her eye on Celestia as she passed by her. _What is going on here?_ Twilight wondered. _This isn't anything at all like the Princess I know. Could losing Sombra really have affected her to such an extreme degree?_ There was one way Twilight could think of to be certain.

"There is one other thing Princess." Stopping in her tracks, Celestia bristled as if ready to explode.

"Twilight what are you doing?" Spike whispered, but Celestia took another deep breath and calmed herself down.

"What is it?" she finally asked.

"Well, your last letter said that you wanted me to partake in the opening ceremony with you and Luna. I'd be honored but I'm still having a little trouble getting used to flying. Rainbow Dash has been giving me lessons but they all end with me getting a face full of dirt. If you have a free moment while I'm in Canterlot maybe you could give me some pointers. You know for old time's sake?"

"Twilight, I am very busy. And I don't have time to deal with trivial matters. If your friend is already teaching you then that is more than sufficient."

"I understand. Just forget that I asked." That proved it. Back when she was Celestia's apprentice and Twilight needed help with something, the Princess would always find the time to help her no matter how busy she was.

"While we're discussing it," Celestia continued, "if you really are going to Star Swirl's Library there is something I want you to do."

"Of course what is it?"

"If you find any notes or manuscripts related to certain matters, you are to destroy them. I trust you know what I mean."

"Destroy them?" The Princess couldn't be serious. How could she ask her to destroy books of all things?

"I don't want anything like that happening ever again. Star Swirl's research must not be followed by anyone."

"But Princess I can't just..."

"Twilight!" Celestia snapped as she glared over her shoulder. "You will do as you have been instructed. Is that clear?"

"Y...yes princess." Celestia turned away and Twilight could only watch in stunned silence as the wise and gentle alicorn she had idolized since her foalhood walked out of the throne room, the castle servants giving her a wide berth as she passed.

"Next time," Spike asked, "how about we just go with Pinkie Pie to get cupcakes?"

Walking down the hall with Luna, Fluttershy would occasionally cast a nervous glance at her. Though she wasn't scared anymore of the pony who had once been Nightmare Moon, she still felt a little intimidated by being in her presence. Luna always carried herself in a manner that was regal, composed, and confident. But now, with all that was going on and despite her standing as Princess, she looked like any other young mare straining under the weight of her problems.

"Don't worry Princess," Fluttershy told her. "I'm certain that Twilight will be able to figure out whatever's wrong with Celestia." _At least I hope she will_, she thought as Luna smiled gratefully at her.

"Thank you for your assurance."

"So, if you don't mind my asking, what is this other problem that you have?"

"Well," Luna explained as they finally reached her private chambers, "in addition to Celestia I seem to be having difficulties lately with Tiberius as well."

"Who's Tiberius?"

"My pet."

"Pet?" Fluttershy squeed as she launched herself into the Princess's face. "Pet? You have a pet? Is he a magical creature like Philomena? A cute little kitty? Or is he a nocturnal creature like a bat or a wolf?"

"Well," Luna said," yes actually. He's a possum."

"Oh possums are so adorable," Fluttershy gushed. "A lot of ponies don't like them because they look like rats. Which is just silly because possoms aren't even rodents."

"Yes well as I was sayng I've been having difficulties with him as well. It started the same night as Celestia's nightmare. He began acting up and I was forced to scold him rather harshly. Ever since then, we haven't been on speaking terms."

"Oh that's terrible. Not to fear your highness. I haven't met an animal problem yet that I couldn't solve. Just leave everything to me."

"I am most appreciative of that," Luna said she opened the door. Peeking inside, Fluttershy saw a drawing room adorned with white carpets and drapes, dark blue furniture, and whose walls and ceilings had been painted to resemble a starry night sky while overhead, a lamp shaped like the full moon hung from the ceiling that cast everything in a soft glow. Across the room, next to a stairway that spiraled upstairs, a dead hollowed out tree had been mounted into the floor where a possum hung from its tail eating a strawberry. As soon as he saw them enter, the possum scowled and spun around so that its back was turned to them.

"Tiberius that is enough!" Luna scolded. "You are in the presence of company and I want you to stop this behavior this instant!" But Tiberius merely crossed his arms and snorted in indignation. "As you can see I am at my wits end over what to do."

"Let me try," Fluttershy advised as she flew up next to him. "Um excuse me, Mr. Tiberius. I'm Fluttershy. Princess Luna tells me that you and her haven't been getting along lately. If you don't mind me asking, I was wondering if maybe you could tell me why you're mad at her?" Tiberius grumbled over his shoulder.

"What did he say?"

"He says that you didn't want to listen when he first tried to tell you so why should he tell you now?"

"Because I didn't...what?" A look of shame came over Luna's face as she gestured Fluttershy to move aside.

"Tiberius I'm sorry," she said. "I've been so preoccupied with Celestia and preparation for the festival that I neglected my duties as your owner. I promise that from now on I'll listen when you try to tell me something. So will you forgive me? Pwease, ikkle-diddy-widdle-Tibble-kins?" Luna stuck out her bottom lip in a pout as Tiberius looked over his shoulder and sighed before finally twisting around to give her face a hug. "That's a good Tibbles," Luna said as she cuddled him. "Now what is it you wanted to tell me?" Climbing down from the tree, Tiberius lay on his back and began to squirm and thrash about the carpet.

"Um, you had a bad itch?" Fluttershy asked. "Is that it?" Tiberius shook his head no.

"A nightmare?" Luna asked to which Tiberius emphatically nodded. "You had a nightmare." Another no. "Are you talking about Celestia's nightmare? Is that it?" Tiberius nodded again as he got on all fours and began sniffing around the carpet. "You sensed something," Luna guessed as Tiberius ran across the room and pointed up at a mirror that had been hung up on the wall. "Something about a mirror? Wait, are you referring to the piece from the mirror that led to the other world? Quickly Tibbles, tell me what it was." Rising up on his rear legs, Tiberius bared his teeth and raised his front paws in a threatening manner. "You sensed something bad."

"Bad?" Fluttershy started. "As in dangerous?" Rubbing her chin, Luna hummed in thought and levitated Tiberius up onto her back.

"That mirror," she said. "It all started that night. If what Tibbles says is true, then whatever has afflicted Celestia with this ill temperament has some association with that mirror shard. Come Fluttershy! We must gather Twilight and Cadance so that we may investigate at once!"

"Um I'd really rather not if that's okay with you!" But Luna seized her tail with her magic and dragged Fluttershy after her.

"Do not fear Fluttershy. Whatever foul evil has worked its mischief through that shard we shall face it together!"

"That's what I'm afraid of!"


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 4  
>MR. DUSTMOP<br>=Equestria Prime=

As Spike and Twilight made their way through the winding caverns deep inside Canterlot mountain, the little dragon would occasionally glance up at the pony whom he had been the loyal assistant and companion to since she had hatched him from his egg. She had barely spoken since her meeting with Princess Celestia. And between the Princess's less than warm reception and what she had been ordered to do, Spike could only guess how torn up Twilight really was inside.

"Twilight?" Spike asked. "You're not really going to destroy Star Swirl's notes are you?"

"What other choice do I have Spike? I can't ignore a command from the Princess. And she does have a point. Transdimensional travel is dangerous."

"But the Princess isn't thinking straight! Come on Twilight. We both saw how she was acting. She knows how much you love books. You really think that she would ask you to do something like that if she was thinking clearly?" Twilight sighed and stared off into the distance.

"Making decisions you don't want to make is part of being a ruler. That's what Princess Celestia told me when she and the other Celestia were being imprisoned in crystal. If she was prepared to make a sacrifice like that for the good of our world and Sombra's, I can burn a few books to do the same. Especially if it helps alleviate whatever is wrong with her." Passing the skeleton of the giant hydra that once guarded the way, they turned a corner and the hidden library of Star Swirl the Bearded finally came into view.

"You know," Spike suggested, "she only told us to destroy any notes we found about Star Swirl's research about crossing into other dimensions. She never said anything about actually looking for them. Can't really destroy something if we can't find it." Twilight thought about that for a moment before giving him a half smile.

"I guess you're right. Hmm. That's strange."

"What is?"

"These doors look different from before. In fact they almost look brand new." Twilight pushed them open and Spike whistled in amazement as they walked inside. He had been expecting a cramped hole lined with bookshelves. But the caverns he now found himself in was almost big enough to fit half of Canterlot Castle inside of it. Countless bookshelves lay scattered around the main chamber; forming a maze rimmed by numerous smaller chambers that held laboratories, specialized wings, and display areas while at the cave's far end, an underground waterfall from the yearlong snowfall at the mountain's peak drained into a pool where blind cave fish swam about feeding on algae and cave krill.

"Wow I gotta admit. For something that's been down here for so long this place is in pretty good shape."

"But it wasn't," Twight said as they descended the stair to the central depository. "When the girls and I first came down here, this place was a total mess. The dust was an inch thick, the bookshelves were warped and cracked, and cobwebs were everywhere. Look, someone even put in new plants and furniture."

"Maybe the Princess hired workers to come down here and get it cleaned up. "

"I guess that makes sense," Twilight agreed. "Okay Spike. We've still got two hours before we meet back up with the others so lets get as much done as we can. I'm going to see if I can't find any exhibits to take back to Ponyville. And while I do that you..."

"I what?"

"Do you hear something?" Spike cocked his ear and listened.

Swishtch-swishtch-swishtch.

"Yeah I think I do. What is that?"

"Let's go find out." With Twilight leading the way, the two of them crept through the pathways that winded through the bookcases, following the noise until they were right on top of it. From behind the cover of a statue of Princess Platinum, one of the original founders of Equestria, they saw a shadow moving across the floor in front of them.

"Do you think it's a burgler?" Spike whispered.

"If it is they broke into the wrong library!" Lighting up her horn, Twilight tensed her hindquarters before leaping around the corner. "Freeze!" she yelled as she fired a warning shot into the air. From the other side of the statue, Spike heard a yelp and a thud as somepony fell onto their back.

"Did you get him?" he asked as he peered around. "Uh oh! Twilight what did you do?" Lying on the floor beside a broom and dustpan was an old unicorn stallion. Dirt stained his yellow coat and grey coveralls while his head was topped with a shock of white hair. Equally bushy were his mustache and eyebrows. To Spike, it almost looked as if Rarity's cat Opal had climbed on top and shed her entire winter coat onto his head.

"Oh no!" Twilight said as she ran over to help him up. "Sir I'm so sorry. Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine," he wheezed. "Gave me quite a start there. Hold on. Are you Princess Twilight?" Immediately he dropped into a bow. " 'Scuse me for disturbing you your highness. If I had known you were coming I would have finished earlier."

"Um that's okay," Twilight said. "But who are you and what are you doing down here?"

"Oh right," the old stallion answered. "The name's Dustmop. A long time ago I used to work here in the castle. After Star Swirl's Library was uncovered, I was called out of retirement to get this place back into shape for its new owner. I was just doing a little spit shinning when you jumped me."

"Yeah sorry again about that," Twilight nervously laughed. "So you're a maintenance pony?"

"Something like that. Actually I used to work directly for the Princess. If something needed fixed or she had a mess that needed cleaning up, I was the one she called on to get it done."

"I've never heard of a unicorn working as a janitor before," Spike said as Twilight shot him a disapproving look. "What?"

"Eh, what can I say?" Dustmop shrugged. "I never really had much talent for magic so that limited my career choices. But that's alright. I take a great deal of pride in what I do. It may not be glamorous but somepony has to do it or nopony else could get their work done."

"And you did all this by yourself?" Twilight asked as she looked around. "I'm impressed."

"I may be old but I'm still spry," he bragged. "Trust me, this is far from the worst mess I've ever had to clean up."

"Well if you worked for the Princess I guess you would have to be the best," Twilight agreed. "Come on Spike, we'll let Mr. Dustmop get back to work. Sorry again about surprising you. Are you sure you don't need help?"

"Yeah I'm fine," Dustmop said as he levitated his cleaning tools and marched off. "You've probably got big important princess matters to attend to so don't worry about me."

"Okay if you insist." Returning to the Library's entrance, Twilight found a storage closet under the main stairs from which she retrieved two push carts and a stepladder. "Okay Spike," she instructed as she pushed the cart with the ladder towards him. "As I was saying, while I look for any exhibits to take back home, you look through the main depository and see if you can find any books for the Library. Look for anything obscure, ancient, or about pre-Celestian Equestria. I'll come get you when it's time to meet the girls."

"Can do," Spike said as Twilight marched off on her own expedition. With his mission clear, Spike set about exploring the countless book shelves. But even after an hour of searching, Spike had found only four books that he was certain met Twilight's criteria. He had just pulled a copy of The History of Royal Unicorn Genealogy when old Mr. Dustmop came by with a serving tray on which three mugs had been placed.

"Say little fella," the old unicorn called out. "Care for something warm. Even in Spring it can get pretty chill in these caves."

"Sure thanks," Spike called out as he climbed down the ladder.

"Where's the Princess?" he asked as he set down a mug of hot cocoa on the cart.

"She's on a treasure hunt. I Think she went down that way"

"Then I'll take her something as well. Mind if I ask what you're looking for?"

"Just some books for the Library back in Ponyville. You'd think that down here there'd at least be some that Twilight hasn't already read."

"Well now that you mention it," Dustmop said. "When I was clearing out the cobwebs, I found a bookcase about rive rows back that had a lot of big thick books that seemed to have been published by this Star Swirl fella himself."

"Yeah that sounds like something Twilight would want. Thanks for the heads up." Dustmop nodded as he left and Spike took a sip from the hot cocoa the old janitor had made him. _Wow_, Spike thought. _This is good. He even mixed in ruby and emerald flakes. I'll have to remember that for later._ Mounting the stepladder on the end of the cart and carrying the cocoa in his free hand, Spike followed Dustmop's directions and found himself at a lone bookshelf positioned at at the very back of the depository. _Jackpot_, he thought as he set up the ladder and climbed up to the top shelf._ Let's see. Star Swirl's Complete History of the Evolution of Prehistoric Equestrian Animals. Yeah that sounds like something Twilight would want. Star Swirl's Guide to Caring For Your Magical Pet. Star Swirl's Guide to Cooking with Coffee. Star Swirl's Complete Guide to Dragons and Dragon-Kin? Oh Yeah I'm definitely keeping that one for myself. Hey what's this?_ Wedged between the Dragon Guide and Star Swirl's Beginner's Guide to Alchemy and Automail was a book that was considerably thinner and shorter than any of the other books on the shelf. His curiosity piqued, Spike pulled it out and when he opened it, saw that it was full of handwritten notes.

_Uh oh_, he thought. _Please don't be something Twilight will have to destroy._ To his relief however, the journal didn't seem to have anything about transdimensional travel. It actually didn't seem to have much of anything besides random lists, crude doodles, and various ramblings. _Did Pinkie write this?_ he wondered as he closed it. _What is this even doing over here?_ But nothing could prepare him for what he found when looked at the front cover.

"Oh wow," he shuddered. "Twilight!"

Packing up Star Swirl's robe and hat, Twilight set it on the cart where she had also placed the fragment of the Secretariat Comet and the jade kirin figurine. Though Star Swirl's Library certainly had no shortage of interesting exhibits, her heart just wasn't into it. The only reason she had still decided to come down was because it would be easier than staying in Celestia's presence while waiting for the others. _I don't know what to do_, she thought. _I have no real idea what the Princess is feeling or even how to help her. And after meeing with her, I don't think she even wants my help. Maybe it would be best if we just headed home._

As she walked further down the main depository, Twilight came across a chamber filled with rows of display cases and whose entrance was labelled by a sign that read SOUVENIR ROOM. _Were these the things Star Swirl and the Princess collected on their journeys through the mirror?_ she thought. For a moment Twilight hesitated. If she went in there, she'd be seeing things that Star Swirl and the Princess had taken from other worlds which meant she might have to act on the Princess's orders. But then again the Princess only said to destroy any manuscripts and notes about transdimensional travel. She didn't say anything about items that could have come from some obscure corner of Equestria for all anypony knew. In the end, Twilight's curiosity got the better of her and she went in, losing herself among the wonders from beyond her world's boundaries.

"So many artifacts," she wondered aloud. "Just how many worlds did they visit?" One case held a stone tablet displaying a map with three points of interest marked by a ruby, an emerald, and a piece of amber. Another held a diploma, a clock shaped like a heart, a medal for bravery, and a pair of ruby slippers. _Better not let Rarity see those_, she thought. Further down was another case that displayed an ivory turtle, a paper boat, a wooden key, a worn down rock hammer, a pearl handled revolver, and a foal's book about a train named Charlie. _Yeah_, Twilight thought as she looked at the face of the train on the cover, _definitely not letting any foals read that one._

At the chamber's end, Twilight looked up and froze at what she saw next. Mounted on the cavern's wall was a large portrait of the Princess and Star Swirl. _She looks so happy_, she thought._ I wonder if this was made after she met King Sombra. Was she thinking of him when this was done? I wonder if she'd still be smiling if she knew how it would all end?_ And what about her? Was she any different? After all, there was the one she had met in the world Sunset Shimmer had fled to. And while Twilight couldn't honestly say that she was in love with him, she certainly wouldn't mind seeing him again. But what if she did develop further feelings for him? How could it even work? After all, they were from different worlds. Literally. And what if it caused another paradox or even another tragedy like Sombra? Was she doomed to suffer the same pain as her teacher and turn away from everyone she cared about?

"I wish none of it happened," she said aloud. "I wish that the Princess and Sombra had never met." From behind, the clop of hoofsteps pulled Twilight out of her thoughts and she turned around just as Mr. Dustmop appeared with a serving tray levitated in front of him.

" 'Scuse me your highness," he said as he lowered the tray onto a nearby stand. "But I was making coffee in the kitchenette and thought you might like a cup to help you work."

"Oh, yes thank you." Adding two creams and sugar to one cup, Twilight took a sip and her eyes bulged in surprise "This...this is incredible!"

"Glad you like it," he beamed as he lifted his own mug. "It's my own special blend. I'll give you the recipe if you want."

"That sounds great." So this place has a kitchenette as well? Twilight thought. If it had a pastry shop I bet even Pinkie would come down here on a regular basis.

"Bit for your thoughts?" the old unicorn suddenly asked.

"What?"

"I don't mean to pry but it looks like you've got something on you mind."

"You have no idea," she sighed.

"Well if you don't mind me saying so," Dustmop suggested, "if you need an ear I'm always available. One thing that gets better as you get older is your ability to really listen. Even if the ears don't always work so well." Twilight looked him up and down. At first glance nothing seemed really remarkable about Dustmop. Just another blue-collar working stallion. But there was something about him that made her want to open up to him. It wasn't quite a grandfatherly feeling, but actually reminded her a lot of Princess Celestia. He probably could give some insight but how could she do so without betraying her promise to the Princess?

"I wouldn't even know where to start," she said.

"Which is my cue to say, 'try at the beginning.' " Twilight thought about it for a moment and decided that maybe there was a way to keep her promise after all.

"Well," Twilight said. "You see I just finished reading this very interesting story."

"Oh yeah? What was it about?"

"It was about this mare. She's beautiful, gentle, and wise and she meets a stallion who's handsome, kind, and noble. They end up falling in love with each other."

"Sounds like a wonderful story."

"It starts off that way," Twilight continued. "But then it takes a turn. You see, the two of them are from different paths. And them being together sets off a chain of events that put a lot of ponies in danger. In the end, he sacrifices himself to save her and put everything right."

"I can't imagine she took it well."

"She didn't," Twilight said as she turned away to keep Dustmop from seeing the tears that were already welling up in her eyes. "She changed, becoming cold to everypony. Even the ones that cared about her. It was almost as if what she had gone through had turned her into a different pony." As she stared at her reflection in the coffee, a single tear trickled off Twilight's cheek and splashed into the cup.

"It must have been quite a story to affect you like this. It's almost as though you lived it yourself."

"It was enough to make me wonder if love is really worth it at all," she admitted.

"Don't you think you're a little young to be thinking that?" Dustmop asked. "I mean, just because it didn't work out for the mare in the story doesn't mean you'll wind up the same way."

"But why did it end up like that at all?" Twilight asked. "She and the stallion, they weren't bad ponies. They may have made some mistakes but they didn't deserve to suffer like that. What was the point of it all? Why did they even meet if it was going to end like that? It just doesn't make any sense." Dustmop hummed and took a slurp of his coffee before answering.

"I've been around. And I know that life isn't always easy. Sometimes it can be hard, painful, and sad. And sometimes, things don't always end happily. But no matter how things turn out, we should never wish they had turned out differently."

"I wonder if the mare would agree with you," Twilight mumbled.

"Everypony feels that way in hard times," Dustmop agreed. "I know I've felt that way before. But a very wise pony I once met taught me that our experiences, the good and the bad, are what make us who we are. That's why we should appreciate everything we go through rather than wishing to undo the past."

"Even if it changes us into something we shouldn't be?"

"Well," Dustmop answered, "it's times like that when we need to take a look at what we still have. The mare in your story. You said that she has ponies that care about her right? Would they do so even if she wasn't as remarkable as you've described her?" Twilight took a moment to think. It was true that the Princess was important to everyone. But even if she was just a normal pony, she and the others would still have come to help her. _Because she's more than just the Princess to us_, she realized. _She's our friend as well._

"Yeah," Twilight said with a smile. "She does."

"That's good. She's going to need them if she's going to get through whatever rough patch she's in."

"You're right. Thank you for listening." The old unicorn nodded and turned away.

"Well I guess you're tired of listening to an old pony's rambling. I'll let you get back to your work. But let me know if I can help with anything else your highness."

"Actually, Mr. Dustmop, there is one thing."

"Oh, and what's that?"

"Don't call me your highness anymore."

"Why not?"

"I'm not comfortable with my friends calling me that."

"Friends?" he asked as he blinked in surprise. "Well, I'm honored but that still seems a bit..."

"How about Ms. Twilight then?" she suggested.

"Ms. Twilight," he mused. "I think I can work with that. Oh and Ms. Twilight, one last question."

"What?"

"Did you finish that story?"

"Of course I did." Even if it was a metaphor for what she really meant, who ever heard of someone not finishing a story?

"Are you sure?" he asked

"What are you getting at?"

"It's just something another friend once told me," he explained. "Every end leads to a new beginning. And sometimes, when you think you've finished one story you find that it's actually part of a much larger tale." Twilight stared at him in confusion but Dustmop just smiled as he turned away. "Never mind. Just more rambling." As he walked away, Twilight stared up at the portrait of Celestia._ The princess may not think she needs me_, she thought. _but she does. She needs all of us. And I'm not leaving Canterlot until she can smile like that again._ It was then that the pitter patter of feet running towards her caught her attention.

"Twilight!" Spike yelled as he rushed around the corner with a book tucked under his arm.

"I'm right here Spike. What's wrong?"

"Oh man," he gasped as he ran up to her. "This place is huge. I ran all over the place before I finally got the layout. Anyway, you've got to see this." Taking the book he held out to her, Twilight opened it up and flipped through its pages. "I think it's one of Star Swirl's journals. I found it in the middle of a bunch of books that he wrote himself."

"He must have left it there by accident. Wow, Princess Luna was right. He was a lot like Pinkie. But I don't get why this would get you so excited."

"Look at the front." Turning it over, Twilight's eyes widened at what she saw. On the front cover was a symbol of a six-pointed star surrounded by five smaller ones. Exactly the same as her cutie mark.

"Spike," she whispered. "Please tell me this is a prank."

"You think I'd be this freaked out if it was?"

"But this is impossible," Twilight said as she marched back and forth. "Why would Star Swirl have a book that has my cutie mark on it? And why a journal? Unless...Spike, you don't think that maybe he foresaw that Luna would give me the key to his library do you? Did he leave this just for me? And what about everything else? Did he see that too? What kind of spell could enable him to see the future like that?"

"Don't ask me I just..." but before he could finish, Spike's cheeks bulged as he let loose a belch of green fire that materialized into a scroll. "I really hope that's good news for a change," he said as Twilight opened the scroll.

"It's from Princess Luna," Twilight read. "She says she's discovered a vital clue about Princess Celestia and wants us back at the castle immediately."

"What kind of clue?"

"It doesn't say," Twilight said as she carried the journal to a nearby cabinet. "We'll worry about this later." Opening the bottom drawer, Twilight buried the journal beneath a pile of blank scrolls before levitating Spike onto her back. "Come on let's go."

"Can we take the secret passage that you and the others used to get back the last time?"

"Absolutely not," Twilight answered as she galloped towards the exit.

"Aw come on it looked like fun."

"Well if you want to take the chance of plopping on top of Princess Celestia while she's still in a bad mood then go ahead."

"Then again," Spike said, "the long route does have some very nice scenery."

From within the shadows of the cave, Dustmop watched as Twilight and her little assistant rushed out of the library and back to the castle. Things had finally come full circle and he had no choice but to leave things in her hooves. But while the future remained uncertain, being able to talk with her again after so long invigorated his hope that he wouldn't have to resort to his original plan.

"And so it begins," he sighed. "Good luck young princess. You're going to need it."


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 5

IN THE GRASP OF DARKNESS

(Author's Note: Get ready everyone. Because HERE is where it starts to get dark!)

=Equestria Prime=

In a secluded corner of the castle library, Twilight and Spike listened as Luna explained to them and Cadance what she and Fluttershy had learned from Tiberius.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked.

"Tibbles feels most strongly about what he sensed," Luna insisted as the possum nodded in agreement. "And you can't argue that the timing for it is far from coincidental."

"But I still don't understand," Cadance said. "The mirror was broken so shouldn't the shard be powerless now?"

"Not necessarily," Twilight mused. "According to Star Swirl's Law of Magical Infusion, an enchanted item will remain enchanted unless intentionally disenchanted. So even if the mirror itself was broken, that remaining shard could still retain a portion of the original magic."

"But that still doesn't explain how," Spike pointed out. "The mirror only had the power to open a doorway to other worlds right? So how could somepony use it to cast a spell on the Princess?"

"A better question would be who," Luna said. "In order to do so they'd have to have known everything about what had happened. So who else knew about the mirror besides us?"

"No one," Twilight answered. "Except the ponies in the other world. And if the shard still has some magic then the portal could still be partially open."

"Enough for somepony to cast a spell through it into ours," Cadance realized. "Luna, you told me that the Celestia and Luna of the other world were evil. Could they be behind this?"

"But that's impossible," Fluttershy said. "Remember? King Sombra used the Elements to drain them of their evil."

"Except he drained it all into himself," Spike reminded them. "So what if...you know." The four mares exchanged worried glances; none of them wanting to say what they all were thinking.

"It can't be," Fluttershy finally said. "He loved her."

"But that may not matter anymore," Cadance pointed out. "From what Luna told me, he's become just like the Sombra of our world."

"It's all just theory though," Twilight said. "We can't know for sure unless we examine the shard and see if a link between worlds still exists."

"Then we've no other choice," Luna decided. "The time for subtlety is over. We are going to confront Celestia now."

=Mirror Equestria=

With a cloud of dust trailing behind them, Braeburn and the rest of the Apple Mob's Rustler Gang galloped headlong through the sun baked Badlands. Ahead, the sand suddenly gleamed blue and Braeburn strained his eyes for a better look. Out here, a pony could run himself ragged chasing one mirage after another. But the sight of desert grass growing at the sheen's edge assured him that he was indeed looking at actual water. He steered the others towards its direction and they found themselves at a shallow river flowing up from the south where the Badlands were said to gave way to unsettled woodland.

"We'll make camp here," he announced. "Fill the canteens and get some grub goin'." Saddlebags were dropped and a pile of kindling was set ablaze as a tin of beans was opened and dumped into a beat up kettle that had been set over the fire.

"So what do we do now boss?" Bramley asked. Braeburn glowered as he pulled his hat over his eyes. When word had reached him that Celestia and Luna had turned themselves over to Sombra, he knew that it was only a matter of time before Discord or another of the king's lawmen was bound to come gunning for them. So he and his gang had pulled out of Appleloosa where they had had the run of the entire town and rode south for the Macintosh Hills. By keeping a low profile, he had hoped that they'd eventually join up with other members of Celestia's forces who had escaped capture. Like maybe his Aunt Granny or even one of the bigwigs like Cadance. But during a supply run at a nearby mining camp, one of the boys had heard that Discord would be in Appleloosa the next day so the entire gang had picked up and fled into the Badlands. Here, the sun cooked the land dry and all kinds of dangerous varmints could be found hiding behind every rock and cactus.

"What else? We keep ridin' south and hope nopony bothers to look that far for us. We'll follow the river so at least we won't get dried out."

"Hey Braeburn?" Arkansas Black asked.

"What?"

"Why are we making camp here anyway?" Braeburn opened his mouth but realized that he didn't have an answer. Why DID he decide to make camp here? There was no cover to hide them from sight and no shade to protect them from the sun. And speaking of the sun, it was still mid afternoon and they were losing daylight.

"Grab your gear!" he ordered. Something wasn't right. They had to get out of here now.

"Boss look!" Braeburn looked to where Smokehouse was pointing and saw a figure in a ratted cloak shambling towards them across the desert. "Think it's another one of Celestia's gang?"

"Let's find out! You and Arkansas are with me. The rest of you get ready in case it's a trap." With his two right hand stallions behind him, Braeburn trotted out to meet the stranger. The closer he got the more he realized something was off about this pony. It didn't look as if he had any supplies of his own on him. Not only that, but he was half limping across the sand on hooves that looked as if he had walked all the way from Manehatten.

"Say partner," he finally called out. "You're a long way from respectable places. Care to explain what you're doin' out here?"

"Food," the stranger whispered. "Give...me...food!" So that was it. Just some fool who had wandered into the desert for whatever reason and gotten himself lost. Well, it was a blessing for them. Braeburn nodded to Smokehouse who gestured for the others to come join them. Tensions had been running high among among the rustlers since everything had fallen apart and roughing somepony up was just what they needed to let off some steam.

"Mister," Braeburn said. "I think you could use a lesson in manners." Around them, the rest of the rustlers formed a ring around the stranger, cutting off any potential escape route and giving each one an angle to get their hits in.

"Get...away!" he growled. Braeburn looked to his men and they all snickered.

"Now here's your first lesson," Braeburn lectured as he stepped closer. "When you talk to somepony, you be sure to look them in the eye." With a flick of his hoof, Braeburn knocked the stranger's hood back, exposing the curved red horn jutting from his forehead and eyes glowing with a sickly purple light in a face that was shockingly familiar to them.

"What the hay!" he yelled, just before the stranger charged Braeburn and sent him flying into the river.

From within the the desert scrub growing along the river bank, the Shadow watched as the outlaws moved in on his pawn. It was fortunate that he had found them in time to draw them into Sombra's path. For two days he had managed to keep Sombra contained in the Macintosh Hills by means of the dream glamour, all the while mesmerizing any ponies passing on the road to bring whatever food they had to his hiding place. Eventually though, Sombra had begun to fear that someone had found him and had fled into the wastes of the Badlands where the most the Shadow could do was lure him to shelter from the searing sun and freezing night winds. _Be thankful I need you alive_, the Shadow thought._ Otherwise I would have left you to your fate as you deserve._

Now the outlaws were surrounding him and despite Sombra's warning, the leader flipped up his hood and was subsequently knocked back into the river. Before the rest of the gang could recover from their initial shock, Sombra had already thrown himself into them with the fury of a wild boar, his hooves and horn lashing out with a strength forged from 1000 years of battling Celestia and fueled by the raging conflict within him. Impressive, the Shadow thought as Sombra rampaged among his opponents. I suppose there was some justification for how he was able to reign for so long in this world. Such a waste that he squandered that strength in the service of weaklings. In less than a minute, the outlaws lay strewn around the desert sand but to the Shadow's disappointment, Sombra lacked the resolve to finish them off as he would have done. And THAT is why you lost your throne. But at least Sombra still had enough control not to use his magic and draw attention to himself. The time for that would come soon enough.

"Run!" Sombra warned as his opponents painfully struggled to their hooves. "NOW!" The outlaws stared at him, unbelieving that such a haggard pony could have beaten them so easily as Sombra lowered his horn and prepared to charge them again.

"Forget it!" one finally yelled. "I'll take my chances with Discord!" As if in mutual agreement, the entire gang turned and fled back towards the Macintosh Hills in the distance.

"You yellow bellied chickens!" Braeburn sputtered as he splashed out of the river after them. "You can't just leave me behind!" As the outlaws vanished into the distance, the Shadow watched Sombra loot what he could from their camp; downing almost the entire pot of beans and then stumbling to the river where he drank his fill before collapsing onto the bank. Once he was certain Sombra was asleep, the shadow crept out of the scrub toward him. He had waited long enough. By now Celestia was fully in the thrall of the curse he had placed upon her. She was the only pony in his world that posed any real threat to his goals. But now that she had been dealt with, he could finally put his plan into motion. And he would start by eliminating the one being in THIS world that could stop him. Approaching Sombra's side, the Shadow spread himself around the sleeping king and began to envelop him in his darkness.

"And now," he announced, "I reclaim everything that is rightfully mine."

=Equestria Pime=

"I still don't see why we had to leave so early," Rainbow griped. "Especially If Twilight said not to meet back for another half hour. We could have watched the Wonderbolts do another Aerial Relay and still make it back in time." Applejack rolled her eyes as she strolled into the castle with Rainbow flapping behind her. After securing the sale arrangement with the Fruit Vendor's Guild, she had gone to the WonderBolt's Stadium to collect Rainbow Dash while Rarity tracked down the Gourmet Bakery where Pinkie Pie had hopped off to.

"Because we need to see what Twilight found out about the Princess," Applejack reminded her as they walked down the hallway.

"Furthermore, with the Equestria Games comin' up, you should be thinkin' more about the training for Ponyville's team."

"Hey," Rainbow countered, "knowing your opponents is the key to victory. That's why I was checking them out so intently." Seemed like you were more interested in checkin' out Soarin's flank in that coattight jumpsuit of his, Applejack thought. "Besides, Twilight and Spike are probably still down in Star Swirl's Library. You know how she gets when books are involved. Especially old and dusty ones."

"Yeah well I don't like sittin' around doin' nothing if I can avoid it," Applejack said as a maid hurried down the hall toward them. "Here comes somepony now. We'll ask her if she's seen Twilight so we don't waste time lookin' for 'er. 'Scuse me ma'am? Have you seen Princess..."but the maid ignored Applejack's question as she rushed past them without so much as an excuse me.

"Well that was weird," Rainbow remarked.

"She must have somethin' on the stove," Applejack guessed as the sudden rumble of approaching hooves caught her attention. The two of them turned around and their mouths dropped open as an entire mob of castle servants rushed towards them. Throwing herself against the wall, Applejack pressed herself flat to avoid getting stampeded while Rainbow took to the air.

"Hey what's going on?" Rainbow yelled out as the servants gallloped past them. "Where's everypony going?" But all of them were too busy running for the hills to bother answering. "What the hay was that about?"

"I dunno," Applejack answered. "But I got a feelin' it's trouble. Come on!" Backtracking the mob's route, Applejack and Rainbow hurried down the hall until they come across Spike who was cautiously peeking through the the partially closed doorway of the castle's ballroom. On the door's other side, Fluttershy cringed against the wall where she cradled a possum in her hooves. _What in tarnation is that critter doin' in the castle?_ Applejack wondered. Though she knew city folk weren't as used to wild varmints as she was, somehow Applejack doubted that one possum would be enough to cause that kind of a panic. "Hey y'all!" she called out. "What's goin' on?"

"Guys keep it down," Spike whispered. "This is kind of a delicate situation."

"What is?" Rainbow asked as they heard the voices coming from within the ballroom.

"Princess please," Twlight's voice begged. "We're just trying to help."

"I do not need help," another voice said. "What I need is for you all to stop wasting my time with baseless accusations." Lining up behind Spike, Applejack and Rainbow peered through the crack and saw Princess Celestia being confronted by Twilight along with Luna and Cadance. "You really think I would not know if I had been placed under a spell?" The Princess asked. "As I told you earlier I am perfectly fine!"

"No you are not!" Luna said. "Sister, something is wrong with you. I don't fully know what the cause is but you have never acted this way before. And until we find out why you should excuse yourself from your royal duties. I'm even beginning to think that the Summer Sun Celebration should be postponed until..."

'No!" Celestia yelled. "I most certainly will not! And the Celebration will procede as scheduled! I will not be seen as incapable before my subjects!"

"Celestia nopony's thinking that," Cadance tried to assure her. "But we're all worried about you. You've always been there when we needed you so please; let us be here for you now!"

"Is that so?' Celestia asked. "And why are you here Cadance?"

"Um, well..."

"As I thought," Celestia grimmaced. "Who was it that told you? Luna? Twilight? Or was it one of her friends? How many others know? I swore you all to secrecy but it seems that I can't trust any of you! And if you all have a problem with how I conduct myself then maybe Twilight and her friends should have followed my original orders when we battled my counterpart! Maybe then Sombra wouldn't have had to sacrifice himself and you could have Luna for your ruler instead!"

"Oh that tears it," Applejack said.

"Applejack no!" Fluttershy warned but was too late to keep Applejack from throwing the doors open.

"Alright that's enough!" she yelled as Twilight and the others spun around to face her.

"Applejack?" Twilight gasped.

"Whoa easy there cowgirl!" Rainbow yelled as she and Spike tried to pull her back. But the farmmare shook them off as she marched into the ballroom and up the the Princess.

"Now look," she told Celestia. "I dunno just what the Sam Hill is goin' on here, but there's no reason to act like this. Now I know you've had a rough time lately and...

"You?" Celestia asked. "You dare assume to know what I feel?" Celestia stepped forward and Applejack backed away as the Princess loomed over her. "What do you know about loss? What do you know about sacrifice? What do YOU know about obligation and..." but Celestia was cut off as Luna stepped between her and Applejack with her wings spread.

"Sister," she warned. "That is enough." Celestia glared at them all but didn't say anything more. Instead, she alighted her horn and vanished in a flash of golden light.

"Wow," Rainbow said. "So this is how Fluttershy feels all the time."

"Applejack?" Twilight asked. "Are you okay?"

"Applejack," Luna said, "I am so sorry about that."

"Just forget it," Applejack said. "Wasn't your fault." Lowering her hat over her eyes so nopony could see the shock and anger that she could feel spreading over her face, Applejack turned and walked away. "If y'all would excuse me, I'm gonna go outside and wait for Rarity 'n Pinkie to get back."

Teleporting to her personal chambers, Celestia's breath heaved as she paced back and forth. She couldn't remember the last time she felt so angry. She had been inspecting the refurbishing of the ballroom when Twilight, Luna, and Cadance barged in and demanded that the servants cease their work and leave. And when Celestia demanded an explanation, Twilight had concocted a ridiculous story about sensing a possible magical disturbance in her quarters, even going so far as to insinuate that she was being mentally affected by it. But even worse was when Twilight's friend had the nerve to claim she understood what Celestia was feeling; as if she knew how it felt to have your one chance for happiness dangled in front of your snout, always out of reach before it was finally snatched away forever.

But what if they're right, a tiny voice in her heart asked. _Impossible_, Celestia retorted. _I would have sensed it. But nothing in my quarters has changed. The only thing that's different is..._

The rage Celestia felt turned to dread and she rushed from the drawing room into her bedchambers. To her relief, the mirror shard was still hanging from the tree in the corner next to the tag on which Sombra had written his wish. That had to be it. They couldn't stand that she was still thinking of him. Why? Why couldn't they leave her be? It was all she had left of Sombra and they wanted to take it from her. Just like Star Swirl had tried to do when he sealed the mirror. _They're all trying to betray me_, Celestia raved as she stepped towards it. _They don't care if I suffer so long as they get what they want. But I won't let them take it. The shard is mine. And if anyone tries I'll make them pay!_ As she leaned forward, the mirror shard cast back her reflection and Celestia was taken aback by what she saw. Her eyes were so cold and her face so twisted in rage that she didn't even recognize herself. And the shock of it numbed every emotion she felt.

_Is that how they see me?_ she wondered. _ Have I really become such a horrible pony?_ The look she had seen in her eyes...it was almost the same look as the one in his..

_...The freezing northern winds blew with such force that even Celestia had difficulty flying through them. Snow clouded her vision and the cold stung her through her thin coat but she pressed on through the icy storm. When the light of the Crystal Empire had suddenly faded, she had sent Star Swirl to investigate. Now he had vanished as well, his last message a frail cry for help._

_"Star Swirl!" she yelled over the howling winds. "Star Swirl where are you?" _

_"Princess," a voice in her head called. "I'm down here." Celestia looked to her left and saw a light flicker among a rocky outcrop carved out of the ground by the yearly glaciers. She dove towards it and found a rift in the crag's face that led into a small cave. Celestia squeezed through and against the rear stone wall, huddling battered and bruised, was her old friend and former teacher._

_"Star Swirl," she cried as she rushed to his side. "Are you alright?" The old unicorn shook from the cold but didn't answer. Alighting her horn, Celestia conjured a miniature sun that filled the cave with light and warmth as Star Swirl quickly came to._

_"Princess," he whispered as he looked up. "You came."_

_"Of course I did. Now who did this to you? And where are the Pegasus guards that I ordered to escort you?" Star Swirl hung his head in shame._

_"I'm sorry your highness. I failed in my mission."_

_"Never mind that," Celestia assured him. "Just tell me what happened." Star Swirl took a deep breath and looked back up to her._

_"Your highness...it's Sombra."_

_"Sombra?" she gasped. "Here? How? When? Is he alright?"_

_"No you don't understand!" Star Swirl cried. "It's not the Sombra we met in our travels. It's OUR world's Sombra! I theorized that an evil version of him could exist in our world but I had no idea the kind of malice he was capable of!" Celestia couldn't believe what she was hearing. Had they really found the Sombra of their world? But even more shocking was the state her old friend was in. Never before had she seen Star Swirl so shaken, not even when he had fought Tirek alongside her and Luna. Kneeling before him, she placed a comforting hoof on his shoulder._

_"Tell me what happened." Star Swirl took a deep breath and looked up her._

_"My chariot had just arrived at the border of the Crystal Empire. Suddenly, something attacked us. It was like a cloud of living darkness. Those poor Pegasus guards pulling the chariot...they took the full force of its attack. Only I survived the crash. And no sooner had I pulled myself together then the shadow came down to earth and transformed into him. He was practically a mirror image of the Sombra we met. But his eyes...I didn't think it was possible for a pony of all creatures to have such malice in them. I tried to fight him but his magic...it's unlike anything I've ever seen before. So I was forced to retreat. Princess, you have to summon Luna. Tell her to bring the Elements of Harmony. They stopped Discord so they should be able to stop him as well." I don't believe it, Celestia thought. Star Swirl must have made a mistake. Or maybe somepony knew about the mirror and had created an illusion to lure them into a trap. Rising to her hooves, Celestia turned and exited the cave._

_"Your highness what are you doing?"_

_"Wait here where it's safe," she answered as she stepped outside and spread her wings. "I will handle this myself." With a single flap, Celestia launched herself into the sky and towards the direction of the Crystal Empire._

_"Princess wait come back!" Star Swirl yelled behind her. "Don't face him alone! You have no idea what he's capable of!" As his voice faded into the howling wind, Celestia pressed on through the storm, the storm buffeting her from all sides and threatening to knock her off course. But she grit her teeth and forced herself on until finally, the edge of the Crystal Empire came into view as the wind and snow ahead of Celestia began to shift and bend around the barrier generated by the Crystal Tower that shut out the frigid northern weather and kept the Empire in a state of perpetual spring. With a final burst of speed, Celestia shot herself forward and plunged through the barrier. She shook the snow from her eyes and what she saw froze her in a shock far colder than the weather she had just escaped from._

_Where once the fields of the Crystal Empire were lush and beautiful, now they were barren and dead; punctuated with jagged shards of black crystal. No longer was the sky the pure blue of spring but had been stained a sickly brown, almost as if it had been burned by whatever evil infested the Empire. But worse was the Crystal Tower. No longer a dazzling crystalline spire reflecting beauty and elegance, it was now an ugly and twisted mass of black shards and spikes. And on the ground beneath her, the Crystal Ponies marched in stocks and chains, their eyes broken and their coats dull and tarnished as great hulking bipedal monsters of the same black crystal drove them forward. As Celestia watched, a mare stumbled and one of the Crystal Brutes loomed over her, his arm raised to crack down the whip it held. But it was only able to raise its instrument of torture halfway before Celestia fired an energy beam that shattered the monster to pieces._

_"ENOUGH!" she roared. Every eye, pony and monster, fell onto her as she dropped to the ground, her wings spread and her horn charged with power Two of the Crystal Brutes charged toward her, their arms shifting into blades and spiked clubs. But like the first one, Celestia struck them both down with one blast. Another brute extended the spikes growing along its skin before flinging out its arm and launching the spikes towards her. Celestia raised a shield and the spikes shattered on her defenses as the other brutes joined in, pinning her down with a hail of razor sharp daggers. I don't have time for this, she decided and teleported back into the sky. Now that she had some breathing room, Celestia's power surged through her, igniting her body with the flames of the sun as she dove back towards the ground and smashed through all the monsters in one attack. With her enemies dealt with, Celestia lowered her flames and flew back to where the Crystal Ponies still cowered and trembled._

_"Where is he?" she asked as she broke their chains. "Where is the one who did this to you?" But even after being freed, the Crystal Ponies still hesitated to speak before finally, the mare she had first saved timidly pointed towards the balcony above the Tower's archway. "Don't worry," she told them. "Your nightmare is going to be over very soon." In a flash of golden light, Celestia teleported herself onto the balcony but nothing appeared to challenge her. _

_"Where are you?" she yelled "Show yourself you coward!" Nothing answered so she cautiously entered the vacant throne room, which was now as dark and twisted as the rest of the tower. But though she couldn't see her enemy, she could feel him in the overwhelming presence of dark magic that was smothering in its intensity. Suddenly, the throne room echoed all around her with a laugh that sent an icy chill racing up Celestia's spine_

_"It seems I have a guest. Though I was expecting two this is much more agreeable to me." That voice, she thought. It couldn't be. Before Celestia could react, a wall of black crystal suddenly rose over the entrance to the balcony. Similar barriers were erected over the windows, trapping her inside and shutting out the light as the braziers lining the walls were lit with flames born of the same dark magic that filled the air. Something moved in the darkness and as the throne room lit up, Celestia's eyes widened in horror at the sight of the armored and red-caped stallion that had appeared on the Crystal throne._

_"Sombra?" Superficially, the unicorn on the crystal throne resembled the stallion she had met in the other world. But while his face had been kind and handsome, the face of the one before her was hard and cruel. His red eyes burned with cold malevolence and his black hair writhed about the curved crimson horn that jutted from his forehead. His lips parted, revealing a smile lined with fangs and Celestia suddenly felt as if she were a rabbit being stared down by a wolf._

_"First the famous Star Swirl and now you," he said. "I was unaware that my glory had already reached as far as Canterlot. I bid you welcome Princess Celestia. I was hoping to gain an audience with you and am honored that you chose to seek me out first." His condescending tone pulled Celestia out of her shock and she straightened herself up. She had already made the mistake of trotting right into a trap. She wouldn't allow him to have control of the situation as well._

_"Where is Princess Amore?" she demanded. "What have you done with her?" With a smirk, Sombra levitated a battered crown from beside the throne and tossed it at Celestia's hooves._

_"Gone," he said. No, Celestia thought. This can't be._

_"Why? Why have you done all this?" Sombra laughed again as he dissipated into a cloud of shadows before reconstituting himself on the throne room's floor._

_"Why wouldn't I?" he asked as he walked along the room's edge. "The Crystal Ponies were weak and foolish. They welcomed me with open hooves, granted me access to their libraries, and even allowed me to work my way into the service of their princess." Celestia kept her eyes on him as he wandered casually by her. Not only was this Sombra cruel, he was arrogant as well. He kept his back to her, his eyes sweeping the once beautiful walls of the Crystal Tower's throne room as if she were beneath his notice. If she were quick, she could end this now with one attack. But every time she tried to gather her energy, the memory of his counterpart in that other world flashed in her mind and she hesitated. "Not once did they ask why I had come or why I sought the knowledge they held," he continued. "And now, like all weaklings, they have been put in their proper place. To be used as I see fit. But that is not what we need to discuss."_

_"And what would that be?" Celestia asked before Sombra dissipated once more into darkness. She frantically searched around her for any sign of where his attack would come from when he suddenly materialized directly in front of her, eliciting a startled cry from Celestia as she stepped back. Around her he walked, sporting the same wolfish grin and looking her up and down in a way that made Celestia sick with revulsion._

_"Lovely," he stated. "And so powerful. But you have yet to embrace your true potential."_

_"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked, never taking her eyes off of him._

_"Oh I mean no insult. It's just odd that such a magnificent mare as yourself would settle for being a mere princess when you could be so much more."_

_"What are you insinuating?"_

_"I have been watching you for a very long time," Sombra told her. "Your magic controls the sun, source of all light. My magic on the other hand controls the darkness, the source of all corruption. We are two sides of the same coin Celestia. Perfect equals of each other."_

_"We are nothing alike!"_

_"Are we now?" Sombra laughed. "You claim that you and your sister rule together, but who is it that the ponies of Equestria venerate? Who makes the final decision in matters of rule? Whose power is the land dependent upon for its life and sustenance?" As he spoke, Sombra's voice seemed to take on an almost a musical warble and Celestia suddenly found it difficult to concentrate. "You can claim that you rule solely to bring peace and harmony, but in your heart, you relish the power you have over others and the veneration they give you. So why put on such a hollow pretense with your sister? She is weak. She is inferior. She is not your equal. And she knows it. That's why she hates you. That's why she longs to overthrow you and take what she cannot have. If she were a little stronger she would not hesitate to strike you down."_

_"That's a lie," Celestia gasped, the throne room spinning around her. "You know nothing about my sister. Luna would never betray me."_

_"Perhaps," Sombra smirked. "But that doesn't change what you are. You are the high princess of Equestria. Star Swirl offered to help you claim it and you accepted without hesitation. And you did so because it is the right of the strong to reign over those who are weaker. Do you really think that the three tribes would have accepted you and your sister's reign if you weren't Alicorns? You're only fooling yourself if you do. But Equestria is only one part of the world. There are countless other kingdoms and lands, all of them ripe for harvest. And who better to seize them than the two most powerful ponies who ever lived." Raising his hoof, Sombra materialized a crown of black metal studded with red gems which he held out to her. "Join with me Celestia and become my queen. Together, we will grind the entire world beneath our hooves." Celestia stared at the crown and suddenly felt as though it were calling out to her, compelling her to take it and accept Sombra's offer. Sombra, she thought. I could be Sombra's queen. It was then that his image flashed across her mind, not the Sombra that stood before her, but the kind and noble one from a world that was so alike and yet so different from her own. It snapped her out of her trance and thrust her back to her senses as she took one look at the creature who had dared to try and ensorcell her before blasting the crown he offered to her out of his hoof._

_"I will never join with something like you! The very sight of you disgusts me! You don't even deserve to call yourself a pony! You're just a monster wearing a unicorn's mask!" For a brief moment, Sombra's composure broke and he almost seemed disappointed._

_"I see," he sighed. "So that's your answer is it?" But the moment passed and Sombra's face twisted once more into a fanged grin as his eyes and horn crackled with dark energy. "As you wish!" Lowering her horn, Celestia spread her wings and ignited her flames, scouring the walls of the throne room with golden light. Sombra cautiously stepped back and she knew that she could fight him now. This THING was not the Sombra she had met in that other world. As far as she was concerned, he was nothing but a grotesque mockery unworthy of that name._

_"You may have bested Amore and Star Swirl," Celestia threatened. "But I am not like them."_

_"Indeed," Sombra agreed. "Amore I had no use for. And your pet wizard was smart enough to flee while he had the chance." Before Celestia could react, Sombra stomped his hoof and lashes of black magic rose out of the floor from the same circle he had walked around her. They latched around her, binding her hoof and wing as her flames were suddenly extinguished before they slammed her to the floor with enough force that Celestia nearly passed out. When her efforts to physically break them failed, she attempted to teleport out of their grasp but found to her horror that her magic was no longer working._

_"Don't bother," he told her. "That spell is one of my personal creation. It binds not only the body but the spirit as well, sealing whatever magic you have. I don't know why you hesitated to strike when I first offered you the chance. But you will live to regret it. As will your subjects."_

_"They will never bow to you!" she hissed._

_"Oh but they will," he laughed. "Remember, I've been watching you and your so called reign. Your subjects care for you deeply. They would do nothing to endanger their beloved Princess of the Sun because without you they are lost. And once they know you are in my grasp, they will surrender without raising so much as a hoof against me." Sombra leaned over her and Celestia cringed as his breath rolled over her, choking her in its rancid malice. "But until then," he whispered in her ear, "how shall we keep ourselves amused?"_

_Help me! Celestia begged. Somepony anypony please help me! _

_Suddenly, an incredible force tore through the throne room and Celestia felt Sombra blasted away from her. She opened her eyes and saw that the crystal wall Sombra had raised over the balcony entrance had been shattered. And in the resulting hole was Luna, her horn still glowing from the energy blast she had just unleashed. At the other end of the room, a pile of rubble from which an armored hoof protruded lay before what had once been the crystal throne._

_"Luna!" Celestia cried as her younger sister flew to her side, snapping Celestia's binds with a flick of her horn._

_"What were you thinking?" Luna yelled. "Why didn't you wait for me? You're just lucky Star Swirl had enough strength to summon me himself!"_

_"Luna...I..."but the words stuck in Celestia's throat. Even if she told her sister how could Luna possibly believe her?_

_"Never mind!" Luna snapped as the pile of rubble began to tremble and shake. "Just get ready! He's coming!" Opening her saddle bag, Luna summoned the Elements of Harmony to emerge and surround them as the rubble exploded into a cloud of darkness. Up to the ceiling it rose, and from out of the cloud, a cruel and twisted face materialized into form._

_"You will regret that little princess," Sombra snarled as all around them, the walls and floor of the throne room burst into an impassible barrier of twisted and spiked crystal shards. "Know that you both will face your end screaming!"_

_"Sister?" Luna asked. Suppressing her fear and shame, Celestia forced herself to stand. The Crystal Empire and its ponies needed to be freed. _

_And this monster that should not exist in either world needed to be dealt with._

_"This ends now," she vowed. Joining their magic together, the two Royal Pony Sisters activated the Elements, their light illuminating the throne room as the Shadow lunged toward them..._

...But it hadn't ended. Through the evil Sombra had been banished to the Frozen North, he had managed one final act of cruelty as the curse he had placed on the Crystal Empire and all of its ponies banished them into nonexistence, along with nearly every memory and record of them, almost as if they had never existed. Not long afterward, Celestia had crossed over into the other world by herself for the first time. She had to see the other Sombra. She had to know that he was there and was still the kind and noble stallion she had met. _What am I supposed to do?_ she thought as she buried her face in her hoof. _Sombra was the only one I could let myself go with._ He was her shoulder to cry on, the safe port she could run to when her crown grew too heavy. But even if the mirror hadn't been broken, she could no longer run to him. The stallion she loved was gone. And it was all her fault.

"Princess?" a mare's voice called from the outer door. "Are you in there?" It was Raven, her personal assistant. Celestia took ten deep breaths and forced herself to calm down.

"Yes," she finally answered. "What is it?"

"I'm just checking to see if everything's alright. I heard there was some kind of a situation in the ballroom."

"Everything's fine," Celestia answered. "Raven, tell Kibitz I want to see him in the throne room immediately."

"Right away your highness."

"One other thing," Celestia added. "Tell the guards that I want a full post at both the doorway to my quarters and on my balcony at all times. Tell them that anyone who enters without my consent is to be arrested."

"Y...yes your highness." Celestia waited until she heard Raven's hoofsteps retreating from the door before moving to her washroom. Filling up the sink, she splashed cold water onto her face and stared at her reflection.

"I will not be weak," she vowed. "I will not cry, I will not make further mistakes, and I will not show any weakness before my subjects. I am Princess Celestia of Equestria. And I will be strong."

From outside on the balcony, Philomena watched as her master swayed on the brink only to pull herself back when Raven knocked at the door. Nothing had been the same since that night when the call of a male phoenix woke her from her sleep. From the balcony railing outside of Celestia's bedroon he had called to her, his golden feathers blazing like the sun against the night. And when he spread his magnificent wings that spanned almost the entire balcony to take flight, she could not resist his invitation to join her. After him she had flown, out of the castle and off into the sky. She had almost caught up to him when Celestia's scream broke the night's quiet and snapped her out of the chase. She looked around but the male had vanished and her master was in possible danger so she flew back to the castle as fast as she could. To her relief, Luna and Tiberius had already arrived and Celestia was safe. But ever since then, Philomena had sensed a change in the kindly master she had loved for so many centuries. She hadn't talked to Philomena in days or even acknowledged her when she entered. And whenever Philomena tried to approach her, Celestia reacted so coldly to her presence that the phoenix couldn't bear to be close to her for long.

After Celestia had fixed herself up in the washroom and left, Philomena glided across the room to land in front of the tree. The mirror shard that hung from its branch. The night the male had lead her off, Tiberius had picked up on something about it. Something that he didn't like. And the way Celestia was staring at it just now. It was the first time that Philomena had actually been frightened of her.

"Well this is an unexpected development," a voice behind her said. "So, what are you going to do now?"

_(My depiction of Celestia's first encounter with Prime Sombra was inspired by Omny87's comic "A Somber Meeting" which can be viewed at )_


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 6

AN UNINVITED PEST

=Equestria Prime=

"Applejack really!" Rarity cried. "Couldn't you have exercised just a tiny bit of tact and sensitivity?"

"Hey!" Applejack yelled. "I'm not the one at fault here! If you'd seen how the Princess was actin' you'd 'a done the same thing!"

"You did pick kind of a bad time to butt in," Rainbow pointed out which earned her a nasty look from Applejack.

"Guys enough!" Twilight said. "This isn't helping." Following their disastrous attempt to reason with Celestia, Twilight and the others had gone out to the royal gardens to check on Applejack who was understandably upset at how she had been treated and had made it quite clear she didn't want to discuss it until Pinkie and Rarity got back.

"Indeed," Luna agreed. "Rather than argue, our efforts would be best spent on ways to gain access to that mirror shard."

"I'm afraid that there's little chance of that happening," Cadance said. "I talked to one of the guards before we came out. And from what he's heard, Celestia's ordered increased security around her quarters with instructions to arrest anyone who tries to enter without her consent."

"So then what do we do now?" Spike asked as Applejack stood up.

"I say we head home."

"Applejack!" Twilight cried. "You can't really mean that!"

"If the Princess wants to sit around and sulk like a spoiled little filly then that's her business. Until she changes her attitude, I don't want nothin' to do with her."

"But Applejack she didn't mean it," Fluttershy said. "Especially if she's under a spell like Tibbles told us."

"Besides," Rarity added, "didn't you mention earlier that you knew how the Princess felt? How could you even think of leaving in her time of need?"

"First of all," Applejack said, "you're gonna have to do a whole lot better than the word of a possum to convince me that somepony actually managed to put a spell on Celestia. No offense Princess Luna, but around Sweet Apple Acres, the only thing possums are good for is raidin' the chicken coop." From his seat on Luna's back, Tiberius leaned out and hissed at her. "Ah hiss yourself! Second, I do know how the Princess is feeling. But that don't give a pony the right to take it out on others. I never once did that after my folks died. Especially not to the ones who were tryin' to help me."

"Okay everypony settle down!" Pinkie Pie interrupted, a bakery carton balanced on her back. "Luckily, Operation Sunny Side up is still proceeding as planned. I told Mr. Cake's cousin that it was a special emergency order for the Princess and he agreed on short notice to make this custom six-pack of red velvet cupcakes with rainbow frosting!"

"That's an interesting combination," Spike said. "Even by my standards."

"Why do I suddenly have the chills?" Rainbow shuddered.

"Just leave everything to me," Pinkie assured them. "Once Princess Celestia gets a mouthful of these babies, she'll be back to her old self in no time." Pinkie started to hop away but Cadance stretched out her wing and cut her off.

"Pinkie," she said, " I know you mean well but right now pushing Celestia any further is possibly the worst thing you could do."

"But these are extra fancy gourmet cupcakes! They don't have any preservatives. If they don't get eaten soon they'll spoil."

"Oh well that would be a shame," said a voice from inside the box. "These really are quite delicious."

"What the hay?" Rainbow wondered.

"Wow you guys heard that too?" Pinkie asked. "And here I thought I was the only one who spoke baked goods."

"Oh no," Twilight groaned as her hoof covered her face. "No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no! Not him! Now now!" As the others moved in for a closer look, the box began to tremble and shake on Pinkie's back before the lid snapped open and a long sinuous figure that looked as though it had been assembled from spare parts leaped out before them.

"Surprise!" he yelled as confetti showered everywhere.

"Discord!" everyone yelled.

"Hello everyone," the Draconequus said as he darted among them. "Long time no see. Twilight, love the new wings. Though I am rather hurt you didn't invite me to your coronation. Why I could have put on a musical number complete with singing fish, dancing candles, and a hyena parade."

"Wow," Spike said, "That actually sounds kind of..."

"Don't encourage him," Twilight grumbled.

"Hey!" Pinkie yelled as she looked in the box. "He ate all the cupcakes! Discord you jerk! Those were for Princess Celestia! They were expensive!"

"And they were worth every bit." Pinkie growled but Applejack held her back.

"Don't give him the satisfaction," she advised as Luna stepped forward.

"Discord, what is the meaning of this? As part of your release, Celestia made it clear that you were not to venture into Canterlot Castle unless specifically summoned."

"Well you're in a fine mood today aren't you Luna? And here I thought after your little display at the Summer Wrap Up Festival that you were the fun sister. What's the matter? Big Mac turn you down for a date?"

"Excuse me?" Rarity asked.

"Watch it buster!" Pinkie Pie warned. "We've got enough continuity issues without you starting a shipping war."

"Fine have it your way," Discord sighed as he teleported beside Fluttershy. "I was just in the neighborhood when I heard my dear friend Fluttershy was visiting the Princess. Now I ask you what sort of friend would I be if I didn't drop by to say hello? Oh by the way Fluttershy. I got your letter and I'd love to join you and your friends in celebrating all things sunny and summery."

"What was that?" Rainbow asked.

"Um, well he did miss out on it for 1000 years," Fluttershy stammered. "It would have been mean not to at least tell him about it."

"Exactly," Discord said as he stuck his tongue out at Rainbow. "Oh it'll such fun. We'll ride the Ferris Wheel, stuff ourselves with chili carrot dogs, play ring toss...fill the petting zoo with velociraptors."

"I heard that!" Twilight yelled.

"I really am happy to see you you Discord," Fluttershy said. "And I'm also glad you decided to come to the Summer Sun Celebration with us. But I'm afraid there may not be one this year."

"Aw but I was looking forward to it," Discord whined. "What a shame. And all because Celestia's feeling cranky over a bad breakup."

"It was not a 'bad breakup!'" Cadance snapped. "You'd know that if you understood anything about how she...wait...how do YOU know about it?" Immediately, all eyes fell on Fluttershy who shrank under their gaze.

"Now now," Discord assured them. "No need to get mad at poor sweet Fluttershy. I already knew what had happened. I just wanted to get all the juicy little details. That is what friends do right? Drop in and gossip with each other?"

"It's true," Fluttershy said. "He showed up at my house the night after we all got back. And he knew about everything. The mirror, the evil Princesses, even about Celestia and King Sombra."

"And just how DID you find out about it?" Rarity demanded.

"Well let's just say I have my sources. You know, in some parts of Equestria they're still talking about the disturbance her little fling caused. I must say, I was certainly surprised to hear that Borelestia of all ponies was capable of such impulsive and reckless behavior. I can only imagine how her subjects might react if they found out how she GAAAKH!" From Luna's horn, a beam of magic had lassoed around Discord's neck and yanked him down to her eye level.

"If you say one word of this to ANYPONY,"she threatened, "I swear that I will personally banish you to the sun!"

"Hmmm, I guess lacking a sense of humor runs in your family." Morphing his finger into a key, Discord unlocked Luna's magic beam which dropped to the ground with a clang. "But no need to worry about that. I'm reformed remember? Sworn to use my powers for good rather than to reap chaos. Why I'd never do ANYTHING to dirty the Princess's good name. Why that would break my promise to Fluttershy."

"That's right," Fluttershy agreed. "Before I told him anything, he swore that he'd keep it secret. He even made a Pinkie Promise."

"Yes yes," Discord said. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." From behind his back, Discord pulled out a cupcake which he promptly stuck in his eye before his eyelid stretched open, closed around the cupcake, and ate it. "Mm, delicious!"

"That's disgusting!" Rarity grimaced.

"Wait a minute!" Rainbow cried. "Just how long have you been hanging around here?"

"Why Rainbow Dash whatever do you mean?"

"Don't play innocent with us! This whole thing reeks of you! You hypnotized the Princess into acting this way just like you did with us didn't you!"

"What? Oh Rainbow how could you think that of me? And I thought we were friends now! Fluttershy!" he whimpered as his bottom lip stuck out. "Rainbow's being mean to me again!"

"There there," Fluttershy said as she patted his paw. "Rainbow you really shouldn't accuse somepony without evidence."

"Makes more sense than somepony from the other world castin' a spell on the Princess," Applejack commented.

"There is some truth to that," Rarity added as Discord snorted in indignation.

"Fine then," he huffed. "I can tell when I'm not wanted. If you aren't going to be civil I'll go back home then. But I guess that means you wouldn't be interested in THIS either." Covering his eagle claw with a handkerchief, Discord yanked it away and the eyes of everypony present widened at the item he displayed to them.

"The mirror shard?" Twilight cried. "What are you doing with that?"

"Why I took it of course."

"Discord what have you done?" Cadance yelled.

"Yeah are you crazy?" Spike asked

"I can't even believe you would be that low!" Rarity scolded. "Burglarizing a lady's boudoir! Have you no sense of shame?" Rolling his eyes, Discord conjured a glass dome which he lowered over Rarity, sealing her and her voice inside as she raged and pounded against the interior.

"Ooh?" Pinkie asked. "Are we playing charades now?"

"Well that's a fine way to thank me," Discord said as Applejack and Rainbow lifted the dome off of Rarity. "I go out of my way to help you and this is the appreciation I get."

"We were only going to study it!" Twilight yelled. "We weren't going to steal it! Now give that back!" She lunged for the shard but Discord casually tossed it from one hand to the other. Twilight then tried to fly over him to snatch it from above. But Discord casually stretched the arm holding the shard up into the air until her wings gave out and she collapsed to the ground.

"Still haven't gotten the hang of flying I see," he teased as Twilight fumed up at him.

"Discord," Fluttershy warned, "You need to take that back right now. If the Princess finds out you took it she's going to be REALLY mad!"

"Fluttershy please," Discord said as he rolled the shard across his shoulders and onto his lion paw where he spun it on one finger. "First of all, I can certainly handle anything Celestia can dish out. Second, she won't find out because I created a double to leave in its place. Third, the whole thing was entirely her idea." Twilight and the others looked up to where he gestured and saw a flame feathered bird flying down to them from a nearby tree.

"Philomena?" Fluttershy asked. "What's going on?" Philomena chirped and gestured with her wings as Fluttershy nodded along. "Uh-huh. Oh I see." Once she finished with her tale, Philomena leaned her head against Fluttershy's breast and sadly cawed into her coat. "There there Philomena," Fluttershy assured her as she put a hoof around her. "It's not your fault. Somepony tricked you."

"Fluttershy?" Luna asked. "What did she say?"

"She says that when Celestia had her nightmare, Philomena was led off by a male phoenix that disappeared after she heard Celestia scream."

"A glamour spell," Twilight said. "Whoever cast the spell on Celestia through the mirror must have wanted to lure Philomena out of the room before they did."

"Excuse me," Rarity interrupted. "But I'm confused. How could someone in the other world have known that Philomena was even in the same room as Celestia? Much less the type of spell to use on her." As the ponies talked, Discord amused himself by balancing the mirror shard on his nose.

"What was that?" he asked, jerking his head so sharply that the shard slipped and fell. Twilight shrieked and Spike dove for the shard before it could shatter on the ground but Discord flicked out his tail and snatched it away. "You think that someone...oh no no no! You have it all wrong. Nothing CAME through the mirror. Rather...something WENT through. From our side."

"Wait what?" Twilight cried. "That's impossible!"

"Yeah," Pinkie agreed. "You'd have to be itsy bitsy teencie weencie size to even get through that piece."

"And even if one was as Pinkie describes," Luna added, "it's impossible to open the pathway without knowing the spell."

"Oh it's quite true my little ponies," Discord corrected. "You see, as part of my release, Celestia tasked me with monitoring and investigating any abnormalities in the rhythm of Equestria's magic. And some days ago I sensed an abnormality occur right here in Canterlot. Almost as if a hole had been punched through the flow of magic followed by something passing through it. Just like the last few times someone crossed out of our world."

"And you're only telling us this now?" Cadance asked.

"Well nopony asked did they? Besides, if I gave you all the answers you'd never learn to do things on your own. The point is, something, or somepony, was somehow able to open the mirror and then squeeze through into the other world where they are currently doing who knows what. And from what I've gathered so far, they also managed to cast a spell on Celestia, poor heartbroken thing. You know it's sad really. She's so caught up in putting on a brave face for everyone else that she can't even see what's going on in her own head. In any case, this shard is your only clue as to who is behind it all. It really doesn't matter to me of course. If breaking a few rules is so abhorrent to your sensibilities then I'll gladly put it back. That way, you can keep your conscious clear while the situation snowballs even further. The decision is entirely yours 'Princess'. So whatever will you do now?" Discord held the shard out to her and Twilight's reflection stared back at her from the polished surface.

"You aren't really buying this are you Twilight?" Spike asked. "This is Discord we're talking about."

"Yeah," Rainbow agreed. "Even if he's not behind it, he's probably just sending us off on a wild goose chase for a cheap laugh."

"I certainly wouldn't put it past him," Rarity said.

"And I'm still not entirely sold on this whole bit about Celestia bein' under a spell," Applejack added.

"But what he says does confirm what Tibbles told me and Princess Luna," Fluttershy argued.

"And who knows what kind of evil magic a wild goose could be capable of," Pinkie pointed out. To Twilight, her friends' arguments were little more than background noise. She wasn't sure if she trusted Discord or not. After all, just because he had promised not to cause chaos himself didn't mean that he had to intervene against it. But none of that changed the fact that they had no other leads to go on. And if Discord was right about someone crossing through into the other world then that meant the situation was far more dire than she originally feared.

"Give it to me Discord," she sighed. Discord smiled and released the shard as Twilight's magic levitated it to her side. "Everyone, I don't fully understand what is going on. But I do know this. The Princess I've seen today is not the same mare that took me under her wing and guided me my entire life. But it's not just because of losing Sombra. Something has deliberately twisted her into this. And while I don't like going behind her back, I will if it's the only way to help her. That's why I'm going to take the shard down to Star Swirl's library where it was first created. If there are any answers then that's where I'll find them. I won't blame you if this time, none of you want to get involved considering what might happen if Celestia catches us. But if you do, then don't do it because she's the Princess. Do it because you want to help her as you would anypony else." Twilight looked to her friends and awaited their answer; hoping for the best but prepared and willing to accept their refusal considering what she was asking of them.

"Let's do it," Spike finally said. "If the Princess needs help then I'm there, whether she wants it or not."

"You can count on me!" Pinkie cheered. "I can't stand seeing anyone being unable to smile. Especially if some big bully meanie pants is behind it."

"Here here," Rainbow agreed. "Anyone who messes with the Princess or any of my friends has to answer to me. So let's find who's behind this so they can get what's coming!"

"Need you ask?" Rarity inquired. "A true lady always aides another when they are in distress."

"I don't know if I'll be of much use," Fluttershy said. "But I'll do whatever I can to help as well."

"I'll come along too," Cadance said. "It's probably for the best if I stayed out of Celestia's way for a while. Besides, I'd like to have a look at this library myself." With the group united in their goal, all eyes turned to the one remaining pony.

"Applejack," Twilight said as she approached her, "I know you're upset. But we could really use your help with this." Applejack looked to her friends and sighed in resignation.

"Alright sugarcube. I'm in. But let's get one thing clear. I'm doin' this for you. Not the Princess. And you can bet that I'll be expecting one huge heapin' apology from her when this is over." Twilight smiled in gratitude and embraced the farmmare.

"Thanks Applejack."

"And while you all do that," Luna said. "I'll stay here with Tiberius and Philomena to keep an eye on Celestia. That way, if anything goes wrong, I can send word to you through Spike."

"Good idea Princess," Twilight agreed. "Okay everyone. We need to get down to Star Swirl's library. The problem is how we're going to do so without Celestia seeing us. Especially now that we have the mirror shard."

"Oh I believe I can help with that," Discord suggested.

"Hey now wait a minute!" Rainbow cried as Discord snapped his fingers. In an instant, the world vanished in a flash of light and then seemed to move around them before the light faded and the ground dropped out beneath them. Twilight heard the others scream as they fell; save for Rainbow, Fluttershy, Discord, and Cadance who took their wings in time. Twilight attempted to do so as well but could only manage a few harried flaps before her wings failed her and she fell screaming into the same water the others had landed in. As she bobbed sputtering to the surface, Twilight saw that Discord had indeed teleported them into Star Swirl's library but had placed them mid-air above the pool in the main chamber.

"Oh dear!" Fluttershy cried out. "Are you all okay?"

"Whoopsie," Discord chortled. "Sorry. My aim must have been off."

"Yeah I bet it was," Applejack growled as she helped Rarity out.

"My mane!" the white unicorn wailed. Beside them, Pinkie Pie climbed on the bank and shook herself off before sticking her hoof in her mouth and blowing into her cheeks to puff out her mane and tail back to their usual fluffy appearance.

"You okay Spike?" Twilight asked as she pulled him up onto her back.

"Yeah I'm fine," he answered as she swam towards the shore. "For the record, this counts as my bath for the day. Wait a minute. Twilight? Where's the shard?"

"Oh no!" she cried as her head whipped in every direction. "Girls the shard! I lost the shard!"

"You mean this?" Discord asked as he waved it in front of her. "Luckily for you I was here to catch it. Whatever would you do without my help?" Twilight was about to tell Discord exactly what he could do with his help when Mr. Dustmop came running out from behind the bookcases.

"What in Celestia's name is going on over here!" he yelled. "Ms Twilight? Where did you come from? What's going on?"

"It's a long story," Twilight answered as she climbed onto shore.

"Um excuse me sir?" Fluttershy asked. "If you don't mind my asking, who are you and why are you down here?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Discord said as he stared the old unicorn up and down.

"Oh right," Twilight said. "Everyone, this is Mr. Dustmop. He used to work for Princess Celestia but she called him out of retirement to get Star Swirl's library cleaned up."

"I thought it looked less run-down in here," Rarity said as she did her best to re-curl her hair using magic alone.

"You worked for Celestia?" Cadance asked

"Yeah that's right," Dustmop nodded.

"That's strange. I don't really remember ever seeing you around the castle."

"I don't remember ever seeing you around the castle either."

"Fair enough," Cadance shrugged.

"Oh so you're a janitor?" Discord smirked. "Guess that explains the smell of cheap cleaner and minimum wage."

"You know I've been wondering where I recognize you from," Dustmop said. "Now I remember. You're that statue that used to be out in the gardens right?"

"Indeed I was," Discord gloated. "But Celestia in her wisdom and mercy saw fit to release me from my prison."

"That's good," Dustmop said. "That ugly thing ruined the whole garden." Applejack and Rainbow snickered but Discord glowered at the old unicorn.

"Clever," he said as he stretched out his tail and knocked over a nearby trash can, its contents spilling out onto the floor. "Oops! Clumsy me!"

"Hey!" Dustmop yelled.

"Discord!" Fluttershy cried. "That wasn't very nice!"

"Whatever do you mean? As a janitor, he wouldn't have a job without any messes to clean up. So out of the charity of my own heart I decided to ensure his continued employment!" With a snap of his fingers, Discord conjured a heavily stacked sub which he messily began to eat. "After all, whatever would we do without the working stallion?" he asked as he walked around Dustmop, bits of lettuce falling out of his mouth and from between the bread. "Why without them, Equestria would grind to a halt. I for one salute the working stallion and his selfless dedication to cleaning up after the rest of us. Making sure there's always plenty of work for them is the least I can do."

"I never thought unemployment could sound so good," Dustmop muttered. Discord opened his mouth to give another retort, but fell silent as his body suddenly jerked itself straight.

"Oh my!" he mumbled as a twitch crawled up his back. "That doesn't seem right."

"What doesn't?" Applejack asked as the Draconequus loosened up.

"I'm sorry everyone," he said. "But it looks like I'm back on the clock. We'll have to continue this later." Tossing the shard to Spike, Discord snapped his fingers and vanished without any further explanation.

"He's not coming back is he?" Dustmop asked.

"Let's hope not," Rarity answered.

"Um, I'm really sorry about Discord Mr. Dustmop," Fluttershy said. "I'm still trying to teach him the difference between joking around and being rude."

"It's fine," he told her as he swept up the mess. "What I can't figure out is where all this trash came from. I'm positive this can was empty."

"You get used to stuff like that around Discord," Twilight explained.

"I'd rather not if it's all the same. Well in any case, looks like you five had quite a bath. Why don't you all wait here and I'll get some blankets and some hot coffee so you don't catch your deaths of cold."

"That would be great," Twilight shivered.

"None for me thanks," Pinkie said. "That stuff puts me to sleep."

"You should try his hot cocoa then," Spike suggested. "Trust me. Mr Dustmop knows his stuff."

"I'll take a non-caffeine mocha latte cappaspresso if you don't mind," Rarity requested.

"Rarity," Twilight said, "I highly doubt Mr. Dustmop can make something like..."

"With steamed vanilla-flavored almond milk right?"

"Mr. Dustmop," Rarity smiled, oblivious to Twilight's perplexed stare, "I do believe you and I are going to get along just fine." A short while later, with blankets draped over them, the seven mares and dragon assistant warmed themselves up with the hot drinks that Dustmop had prepared for them.

"Woowie!" Applejack hollered. "Now that's a good cup 'a joe!"

"Sure is," Rainbow agreed. "Thanks a lot Pops!"

"Rainbow really!" Rarity scolded. "Have a little respect for your elders."

"Oh that's alright," Dustmop said. "At my age, it's a compliment if Pops is all they call you."

"Yeah about that," Spike interrupted. "Just how old are you?"

"Spike!" Twilight scolded.

"Well," Dustmop mused, "You could say that I've been cleaning up messes since long before any of you kids were born."

"Before Fluttershy AND Cadance?" Pinkie gasped, a goatee of hot cocoa around her muzzle. "Wow that IS a long time?"

"Excuse me?" Cadance asked as Dustmop guffawed.

"Ms. Pinkie, you're alright! Now if you don't mind my asking, why did you all teleport down here instead of using the door?"

"Well," Fluttershy said, "it's kind of complicated."

"You mean it has something to do with what's wrong with Princess Celestia?" he suddenly asked, causing Twilight to almost choke on her coffee.

"How much do you know exactly?" Rarity asked.

"I don't know the particulars," he answered, "but I'm not blind. For the last few days, to say that the Princess hasn't been herself would be an understatement. But even before then, it's pretty clear to anyone with an ounce of common sense that she was putting on an act to hide something was wrong. She and I parted ways a long time ago so I figured I didn't have any right to stick my snout into it. But even so, if she's in trouble and if there's anything I can do to help than I'd like to."

"Well that's the problem," Twilight explained as she wiped her chin with her blanket. "There is something wrong. We don't know what but we came down here to find out. I wish we could tell you more but we made a promise to Celestia that we wouldn't say a word of it to anypony. I'm sorry Mr. Dustmop but I'm afraid that we can't involve you in this. I think you may already know too much already."

"It's alright," he sighed. "I just thought for once I'd be able to do more than just sweep up afterwards. But I guess an old pony should remember his place." Dustmop hung his head and started to walk off when Cadance suddenly stepped forward.

"Hold on a second Twilight. Mr Dustmop, maybe there is a way you can help."

"Oh yeah?"

"I've got a feeling we're going to be down here for a while. And we can't risk going back up to the castle without garnering attention so we need someone who can run errands but won't attract suspicion."

"I get you. They see me running to and fro they'll just think that I'm working late down here. Alright. I'll stay out of your way so I don't learn anything I shouldn't. And if you need me to run for anything, just holler."

"Great," Applejack said. "You can start by getting us some grub. With all that's happened today I don't think any of us have had a square meal since breakfast. Can't work on an empty stomach ya' know."

"Can do," he beamed. "I know a place that has the best hayburgers in all of Canterlot. I'll be back as soon as I can." With his head held high, Dustmop trotted away on his mission.

"Nice work Cadance," Twilight said. "Okay everypony. Our first stop is the laboratory. We need to examine the shard and see if it's still capable of creating a doorway to the other world."

"Yippee," Rainbow groaned. "Boring sciency stuff. Oh well. You think this place might have some Daring Do books somewhere?"

Far to the south, in the arid wastes of the Badlands, Discord was in the middle of his own investigation. The icy chill up his spine had led him to a riverbank in the middle of nowhere. Something like that could only mean somepony was dabbling in some pretty dark magic; the kind he had last sensed back when the Crystal Empire reopened for business. Hopefully he could take care of this quick and get back before he missed anything. All my Princesses was getting good and he didn't want to miss a moment of his favorite new soap opera.

"Now what do we have here?" he wondered aloud. Whatever had happened it certainly left an impact. Nearby rocks had been charred black, the sand melted into pools of glass, and the river boiled like a tea kettle. But one thing was missing. Any explosion of power intense enough to do all this would have left traces of residual heat. But everything around him didn't feel nearly hot enough to sustain that level of damage. Even the river, despite it's bubbling, was cool to the touch.

"I don't like this," he said. "Not one bit." While confusing and surprising others was one of Discord's favorite hobbies, he himself did not relish the sensation. But even worse was that someone was infringing on his trademark. Random chaos was supposed to be HIS gimmick. The very idea that someone would dare try to move in on his act just because he had switched teams incensed Discord in a way that very few things could. And somehow, he couldn't shake the feeling that it was tied to that mirror shard.

"I think it's time the old stallion and I had a talk," he decided. At least that was what he planned to do before an invisible force slammed into Discord and sent him flying through the air.

"What on earth!" he cried out. Discord looked around but could neither see what had attacked him or even sense any magic. Nearby, the ground suddenly burst with tiny explosions that peppered Discord with a rain of sand and pebbles.

"What's going on?" he yelled as the rocks around him suddenly lifted into the air of their own volition and hurtled themselves in various directions. _ Forget this,_ he thought as he narrowly avoided taking a rock to the head. _ This was NOT in my job description._ But before he could teleport out, Discord felt another force seize him in a vice grip and yank him into the air where he was shaken back and forth like a rag doll.


End file.
